


Alien

by lydiaofthefallen



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2020-04-12 12:55:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 36
Words: 109,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19132456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiaofthefallen/pseuds/lydiaofthefallen
Summary: "I think her stopping millions from being killed made her point.""She could explain how we are expected to keep up our national and global security now that the three of you have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus.""We have a secure location for Miss Altovar," Capitol Hill spoke up, "She is not of this world and therefore a threat. We'd like to run a few tests on her and her abilities.""(Y/n) isn't a threat, neither is her planet, they're peaceful." Nat defended, "But they won't be if you experiment on their Princess.""What happens when she shifts into a secret service officer and kill the president? This woman is a danger to global security. It would be safer to have her in our sight."Steve clenched his fist. That was what (Y/n) always feared. That they'd take her, and experiment on her because she could shapeshift, because she was alien, different."You won't arrest us, or put (Y/n) in a lab," Nat said surely, "Because you need us. We're the most qualified to save the world. (Y/n) may be the biggest danger, but that also means she's the biggest danger to the people like HYDRA.""If you want to arrest us, arrest us," Steve added, "You know where to find us."





	1. Playlist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2y8EHC2J8enQiiJUxr1o1M

**_For more songs, go find the Spotify Playlist! Alien made by lydigrace9_ **

 

_Different DNA, they don't understand you_

_You're from a whole other world_

_A different dimension_

_You open my eyes_

_And I'm ready to go, lead me into the light_

**E.T. ~ Katy Perry**

 

_We live in cities you'll never see onscreen_

_Not very pretty, but we sure know how to run things_

_Livin' in ruins of a palace within my dreams_

_And you know we're on each other's team_

**Team ~ Lorde**

 

_And we'll never be royals_

_It don't run in our blood_

_That kind of lux just ain't for us_

_We crave a different kind of buzz_

**Royals ~ Lorde**

 

_Do you walk in the valley of kings?_

_Do you walk in the shadow of men_

_Who sold their lives to a dream?_

_Do you ponder the manner of things_

_In the dark_

_The dark, the dark, the dark_

**Glitter and Gold ~ Barns Courtney**

 

_Beware, beware, be skeptical_

_Of their smiles, their smiles of plated gold_

_Deceit so natural_

_But a wolf in sheep's clothing is more than a warning_

**Wolf in Sheep's Clothing ~ Set It Off**


	2. Prologue

Cries rang throughout the castle of Orveon. To those who could hear them, it was a symbol of joy. Their new princess was healthy and letting the world know.

Queen Liara, my mother, looked down at my small form. I was still a pale purple, small scales adjourning different areas of my body.

"She's beautiful," my mother whispered, "Oh, look at her little scales."

"The perfect princess," my father - King Holden- agreed, "Now all she needs is a name."

My mother tilted her head. They hadn't come up with a name for me yet, they wanted to wait until I was born to see if it would fit.

"(Y/n)," she decided, "(Y/n) Vala Altovar."

"A wonderful choice, my light. Rest now, let to doctors take care of her. I'll go inform Varian of his sister's health."

~*~

"Mother, Father, will I ever leave Orveon?" I looked up at my parents with wide, innocent eyes.

It was a question I had been wanting to ask for a while now. I had never felt entirely at home on my planet. Even though was the princess. There was something missing, something off.

At first, I thought it was because I wasn't going to be queen. I wasn't destined to rule and that made me feel off, but my young mind put the pieces together. I was destined to do great work elsewhere.

We had no wars on my planet, no quarrels, everything was peaceful. It was wonderful, but frustrating. I knew I would grow up and have a boring life,  without excitement. I would never have to work, never have to fight for anything I wanted, I would be fed from a silver spoon.

My parents let out nervous laugh. It was my father who spoke, "Why would you want to leave? You have everything you could ever want here."

"I know father, but I want to work, I want to fight-"

"Oh no, no, no darling," my Mother picked me up, resting me on her hip, "You know we don't fight on this planet. We strive for peace and balance. We only train ou to fight because not everyone hold our ideals, and if something happens you must protect yourself."

"I know but-"

"Darling, why don't you show us the magic you've been working on?" My father distracted me.

I squealed, letting my mother put me down before I grabbed my parent's hands and led them to the training room.

The one thing I put all of my effort into was training. It was my outlet. If I couldn't leave, I couldn't rule, and I couldn't fight in wars we didn't have, I could train.

The reason our planet was so peaceful was because of our connection to the mystical arts. We believed in balance, in keeping things in order. As princess, I was required to know at least to fundamental basics of the arts, but I threw myself into my studies, learning spell after spell until they flowed through my mind and I didn't need a book anymore.

When I was thirteen I was declared a Master of Magic. An amazing feat in my eyes. I had  _worked_  for something. It was a rush I had never felt before. My parents hoped that accomplishing a goal I had worked for would satisfy my need, but it only made it larger.

When I was fifteen, Odin came down from Asgard. We were all humbled. The king of the nine realms on our small planet?

"As my eldest, Thor, trains to take the throne, my younger, Loki, wishes to learn magic. Sadly, Asgard does not hold many magic users outside of healing. I come in wishes of finding a master of different forms of magic.

My parents shared a knowing look. I almost burst I was so excited. This was my chance to leave. I could go, work, actually fight.

"Yes, I believe we have a few experts on our planet. If you would allow us a few days to gather them and-"

"I can do it!" I nearly shouted, flushing when I realized I had interrupted. My brother sent me a warning look.

"Your daughter is well taught in magic?" Odin asked. There was no surprise in his voice, just curiosity.

"Well I wouldn't exactly say well taught-" my father started before my mother cut in.

"There is no point in lying Holden. Our daughter became a master of magic three years ago. She is well versed in all types."

"Then perhaps, she can come with me to Asgard," Odin looked to me, "Would you like to travel to Asgard?"

"I would love nothing more," I said without hesitation.

"Darling," my father grabbed my arm gently, "Perhaps we should discuss this. You are needed on this planet."

"To do what father? Sit around and let Val do all the work? I love all of you dearly, but we are all aware that my fate lies elsewhere, and I can't find it if you don't let me go."

Father hesitated. I grew nervous that he wouldn't let me go, but after a moment of silence, he nodded.

"I shall be back in two days time to retrieve you," Odin announced, "You may visit Orveon when you'd like, the Bifrost is at your disposal."

'Thank you Allfather, this means the world to me."

Odin gave a small smile, and bowed his head. A large large formed around his body and sucked him up into the sky. In a few seconds, the light was gone.

For the first time in sixteen years, I felt like I could breath.

Two days later, Odin appeared again. I said my final goodbyes to my family - an announcement already made for the people- and stood next to Odin.

Then, a light surrounded us. I felt myself being pulled away from my planet my home, and off to Asgard.

I was full of excited nervousness. Would I be the only purple one there? WOuld have have skin like Odin? Would I be judged for the way I looked?

On my planet, my purple skin showed my high class, but on Asgard it could very well alienate me from everyone. If that were the case, I would have to stay in a shifted form of myself.

When the light stopped we were standing in a large dome-like building. A man in gold armor was standing at the top of a small staircase, where a sword was stuck in a pedestal.

"Princess (Y/n), welcome to Asgard. I am Heimdall."

"Lovely to meet you sir," I bowed my head, smiling.

"I have horses waiting at the end of the bridge that will take us to the palace," Odin nodded to Heimdall before he began to walk briskly from the building.

I followed after Odin, almost running because of his fast pace. Even though we were moving quickly, I had the chance to see Asgard in all of its glory. It was absolutely beautiful. While my planet orientated around the color purple and silver, Asgard was a realm made of gold.

When we reached the edge of the bridge there were two horses and a few guards waiting for us. I easily mounted the steed, ignoring the hand held out to help me. This was my first chance to be independent, I was going to take it.

Odin led me down a path just behind a few of the villages. It led directly to the gate of the castle. There, they opened wide for us, allowing us entry.

Odin dismounted his horse so I followed suit, watching as a guard took her to be taken care of. My luggage was being carried by two guards so I had no reason to worry about them.

We walked up the steps to the palace. Immediately Odin walked to a throne room. There, three people were waiting patiently. It was easy to assume that they were Odin's wife and his two sons.

"Why is she purple?" The blonde boy asked bluntly, "And why does she have scales?"

So they weren't used to purple people on this planet. Noted.

"Thor," Frigga snapped, "Apologize."

"I apologize," Thor bowed his head.

"It's alright," I smiled, "People from my planet vary in color, but our scales are what we use to shift into other people."

"You can shapeshift?" The other boy, Loki, questioned excitedly, "That's amazing! How do you do it?"

"We have stories, but no one on my planet really knows how or why we can do what we can do," I explained.

"(Y/n)," Frigga spoke up, "Why don't I take you to your room? You can settle in tonight and tomorrow you can start teaching Loki."

"As you wish."

~*~

After a year of intense training with Loki, his skills in magic rivaled that of my own. The one thing that I hed above him was the ability to shapeshift, while he could create illusions, no one could alter their bodies' structures to look like that of someone else's without being born with the ability.

I was seventeen, and had a taste of work and freedom. It was everything I could have ever hoped for, but I hadn't yet been in a battle. That was, until I was invited to a squabble in Vanaheim.

Thor, Loki, the Warriors Three, Sif, and I took the Bifrost to the location. I was practically bouncing in excitement. My first battle ever! The others were talking joyously and joking around, which raised my mood even more.

When the Bifrost landed, the first thing I smelt was iron. It took me a moment to realize it was blood. There was so much blood spilt it was carrying through the air.

The first thing I saw was the bodies. There weren't many, but the ones that were there looked horrible, hence the smell of blood in the air.

The first thing I heard was screams of battle. Ones from the enemy, and from my friends as they ran forward.

I knew that hesitating would kill me, so I ran forwards, spreading my hands apart from each other, creating twin discs.

It was easy to tell who was the enemy, the way they held themselves and their untrained fighting unmissable. So, I ran towards them, ducking under swipes from swords and axes. I matched their attacks with my own, cutting behind their knees so they couldn't move and then finishing off.

I'd never forget the first kill. It was a big man, lumbering over me with a battle-axe. When he swung down, I was almost taken out then and there. I ducked in between his legs, swiping the backs of his knees with my discs. He fell forwards, but didn't stop swinging.

In my panic, I swung my hand, pushing the disc into his chest. I watched in shock as his body fell limply forward. There was a strange rush in knowing I had just killed a criminal, but there was this sense of guilt, knowing I had killed someone.

"Watch your back (Y/n)," Loki threw a knife at someone coming at me. He noticed the shock in my eyes and added, "It gets easier, trust me."

It did get easier. As the battle went on, I found myself plowing through the thugs until there were none left for the six of us to fight.

"We must return to Asgard and celebrate!" Thor exclaimed.

On the way back my mood was much lower than it was when we were travelling to Vanaheim. I stared at my bloodstained clothes, and noticed a few splotches of purple, I was bleeding myself from a few cuts here and there.

When we arrived back at Asgard I trailed behind, staring at the flowing colors of the Rainbow Bridge beneath me.

"You've never fought in a battle before, have you?" Loki questioned.

"On my planet fighting doesn't exist. I always wanted to go into a battle, to feel the rush, now I can't remember why."

"People start fights for pointless reasons," Loki looked ahead, "Your planet is ahead of many if they are past that."

"How do you keep fighting?"

"I remind myself why I'm fighting. You need to find why you fight, then you'll be ready to do it again."

I thought about why I wanted to fight. At first, it was to know what battles were like. Now, after seeing the chaos and bloodshed, I wanted to stop that. I wanted to fight to protect those that deserved it.

~*~

After another year on Asgard I felt as though I had accomplished my mission there. I had fought battles, made friends, and trained Loki.

I finished packing my satchel. I wasn't entirely sure where I was going, but I didn't want to bring anything I didn't need as unnecessary luggage.

"Are you sure you must leave (Y/n)?" Thor asked as we walked to the Bifrost.

Odin and Frigga themselves were coming along to say goodbye.

"I want to help elsewhere. Allfather, where should I travel?"

Loki contemplated, "Midgard is plagued by conflict."

"Then I shall travel to Midgard," I stated, "I bid you all farewell. Thank you, for giving me the chance to be something other than a princess."

I stepped up to the Bifrost, nodding ot Heimdall. The man twisted his sword, opening the transformation.

Before I could step through, Odin grabbed my arm. His eyes held a warning, "Midgard doesn't know or understand the different realms. When you arrive, you must shift into one of their forms, and stay that way. One day, they shall understand what you are, but until then, you must proceed with utmost caution."

I nodded in understanding. Odin stepped back and I stepped into the Bifrost, being sent of to my destination.

When I arrived in Midgard it was in a large field. After looking around for a moment I noticed buildings just ahead of me. I began walking, taking notice of how the people I could see in the distance looked. They were similar to Asgardians, but I knew they were less powerful.

Remembering Odin's warning, I shifted into a more human version of myself. My features were the same, but I took on one of their skin colors.

I began to slowly walk through the field and towards the town- no, city- in front of me. The buildings were very different from Asgard. The books my planet must have been out of date because they were talking about an era of 'Flappers'. Then again, that was the last time anyone from our planet had dared to travel away.

When I reached the city it was bustling with people. Some stopped and complimented my 'vintage' clothing. It was then that I noticed the drastic difference between their clothes and my own. I knew at some point I would have to go shopping for some clothes.

I entered a small cafe, sitting down at the counter. A kind looking woman poured me a cup of coffee, even though the clock in the corner said it was noon.

"What brings you to Martha's?" The woman asked kindly.

"I'm new here," I answered honestly, "This was the first place I saw."

"Well, you just got to D.C. Where you coming from?"

I hesitated, "A really small town, no one has heard of it I'm sure."

"Yeah, we get some people like that every once in a while. Usually they go to New York, looking to chase their dreams."

"I'm not sure where I should go," I simply stated.

"Well, we could always use some more help if you need a job. Coffee's on me," the woman moved away from me and along to another customer.

I looked up at the TV in the corner curiously. I knew what it was, it was one of the things I knew about modern Earth, but it was still fascinating. On my planet we watched entertainment off of holograms, this was different.

_"In a yearly update SHIELD has stated that global security is at high priority. After years past, they have shifted from an intelligence agency to what may be an off-brand FBI. Yet, our sources say they are the largest holders of information. Perhaps, they even have information on you."_

"Largest holders of information," I mumbled to myself.

_"Director Nick Fury however, has assured us that they only hold information related to security. He then explained that the Triskelion, located in D.C, is meant only as a front."_

A video of a man appeared on the screen. I grinned. That was my way in. If he was the director then no one would question anything if he went to get information.

I quickly downed the cup of coffee. I gave the woman a small wave, holding back the urge to give a formal goodbye. I wasn't a princess anymore, I had to blend in as a Midgardian.

On the way towards the Triskelion, a large and obvious building near the waterfront, I stopped in a few clothing stores. On my planet we had clothing that would shift with us in a pinch- though they were generally only made for the royalls- but I wasn't currently wearing those clothes, I was wearing Asgardian clothing instead.

That meant, I had to find clothing that would make it look like I was really Nick Fury.

After stopping in a few stores, I had accumulated black men's pants, an eyepatch from a 'Halloween' costume, a black shirt, and black boots. All I needed was the coat he was wearing, but I couldn't find it anywhere.

I spent another hour scouring the streets for a look alike, and when I was ready to give up, I saw a look alike in a store window. The only problem, it was more expensive that what I had Midgardian money for.

"I feel like a criminal," I whispered, taking out the dollars I had remaining. I pulled at the edges of the paper, watching as it tore. In the broken bills place, there were numerous more.

A multiplication spell, meant to be used for small things like objects and certain foods. Luckily, money was inside the limits, but that didn't mean I didn't feel bad doing it.

It was a strange feeling, struggling to have enough money to buy something. On my planet, and on Asgard, everything was provided for me. I began to appreciate life as a royal a little bit more in that moment.

After I bought the coat look alike I found a public bathroom and changed into the clothes, discarding of the old ones. Before I left the bathroom, I shifted into the man I saw on the TV only a few hours earlier, then, I began my trek.

Because the Triskelion was so close I didn't have to waste any more money on a cab and just walked there. Security immediately opened the gates for me when they saw my 'face'.

After I knew I could get past security, I walked confidently through the rest of the building, into a machines that was taking people up and down. I assumed it was what could take me to Nick Fury's office.

 _"Please state destination,"_ a voice requested when I entered.

I jumped, staring at the ceiling in confusion, "Um...Nick Fury's office."

The machine began to move and I held onto the bar tightly, my knuckles turning white from the force.

When the doors opened I stumbled out, anxious to remove myself from the death trap. I had figured out ways to take myself off of the ground before using magic, but this was a new height and I hated it.

After I calmed down I looked at the large room around me. It seemed as though the elevator took me straight into Fury's office. It was a large room, with a wall full of window that looked out at the water. There were a few couches and a table, then, near the windows, there was a desk with a piece of technology on it.

"How do I work this?" I wondered, walking up to whatever it was, "My planet really needs to update their books."

The screen lit up and I understood it a bit better. Their technology wasn't far from ours, just a bit behind and less magic oriented.

_"Retinal scan initiating."_

A light ran over my eye and I blinked rapidly, stepping back. Whoever this Nick Fury was, he was obsessed with security.

When the computer opened up I debated on what I wanted to search. There was so much about Midgard that I had to learn, that I felt as though I didn't have enough time. But I knew I would always be able to come back at some point in the future.

After a moment of contemplation I searched 'Extraterrestrial'. That was what they called us on Midgard, people who looked different and came from space. It was an interesting term really.

What I found was overwhelming. Report after report of extraterrestrials landing on Earth. Some were fakes but were put on a watchlist all the same, some were real but the aliens had died on impact. Others...The aliens survived, but it seemed like a fate worse than death.

Was this what Earth would do to me if they knew who I was? Would they experiment on me? Rip me apart to see what made me tick?

"Back then, people were much more brutal, even to their own kind. I hate to say that not everything has changed."

I jumped, my shift flickering slightly. I looked up at the man in front of me with wide eyes. It was the same man I was imitating, Nick Fury.

"Coulson informed me that 'I' had entered the building again after I had just left," two people entered behind Fury. I expected a security team, not them.

The was a redhead, who didn't have a large gun but seemed confident enough all the same, the other, was a man with a bow.

"So here's what's gonna happen, you're gonna come peacefully, looking like yourself, or my friends here, will take care of you, and they aren't as nice as I am."

I shifted back into the human version of myself, holding my hands up to show that I was unarmed, though I could easily create something with magic, it didn't seem smart.

The woman moved towards me and cuffed my hands behind my back. Something about them made me feel weaker, and that wasn't a good sign at all.

I was led down to a small cell, made out of metal walls. They left me alone in there for a while after they dropped me off. I knew they wanted me nervous, and it was working. All I wanted was information on Midgard so I knew what I was getting myself into and where I should start on my missions.

Terrifying thoughts of the experiments they would commit on me entered my mind. Would I end up like the others before me who weren't of Earth? Would my parents never know what happened to their daughter, would my people never know? Would I never see Asgard or the royal family again?

Before I could get too immersed into my thoughts the red-head entered the room. She sat down in front of me, folding her hands together.

"Is this what you really look like?" She asked.

I shook my head, looking down at my human hands.

"If things are gonna work out for you then you need to cooperate."

"I don't want to end up like the others," I whispered, "You'll probably experiment on me anyways so what's the point?"

"It's the government, not SHIELD, that started the experiments, and I have no intention of harming you, not if you cooperate."

Hesitantly, I shifted into my normal, purple form, realizing I had no choice. I took the fake eyepatch off of my head and set it down on the table. The woman couldn't help but show her surprise.

"Not exactly what I was expecting," she stated truthfully, "So, based on the comment about experiments, you're an alien?"

"That's your term for me, yes," I nodded.

"Okay. How about we start simple, and move on from there. What's your name?"

"(Y/n) Vala Altovar."

"Okay (Y/n), my name is Natasha Romanoff," the woman smiled warmly. I was skeptical that it was real, "So, (Y/n), where you from?"

"A planet your Midgardian technology will never be able to reach, so before you even think of threatening-"

"I never said anything about threatening," Natasha shook her head, "We try not to start fights without reason. I just want to know more about you."

I sighed, rubbing my eyes. A good nights of sleep sounded amazing at the moment.

"I come from a planet called Orveon. My parents are King Holden and Queen Liara."

"King and Queen huh? So that makes you the princess?" I nodded in confirmation, "What are you doing on Earth? More specifically, what are you doing breaking into one of the most secure offices on the planet?"

"I came to Earth to help. My planet is without war, and I wanted to start Earth on that path. I came here because my planet is outdated when it comes to Earth culture, I wanted to know about it and the television told me this was the place."

"Yeah the TV can tell you anything these days," Natasha leaned back in her chair, "You said you came here to make peace?"

I hummed, "My entire life I wanted to be something other than a princess. I had the chance took it, then learned valuable lessons about war. Now I've come here to help. I was told Earth was full of conflict."

"Well you aren't wrong there," Natasha chuckled. She paused, reaching up and pressing something in her ear. She listened for a moment before she spoke to me again, "Well, the guy you imitated wants to talk to you."

As soon as Natasha left the room I shifted back into a human version of myself. She may have said that SHIELD wouldn't experiment on me, but that didn't necessarily make me feel more comfortable on Earth.

"Well Miss Altovar, it seems as though we have two options here," Fury sat down across from me, "There are a lot of organizations out there who would love to take advantage of someone with your abilities. You can either stay on Earth, and work under SHIELD, and you can go back home to, Orveon was it?"

"I want to stay on Earth," I answered immediately.

"Good. Agent Romanoff and Agent Barton will give you a crash course on Earth, after we see what you can do, we'll do a field test. Things will get easier- or harder depending how you look at it- from there on," Fury stood, walking towards the door, "Oh, and one more thing. Don't imitate me again Miss Altovar, the world only needs one Nick Fury."

~*~

After nearly a year of intense courses on Midgardian culture, languages, clothing, and pretty much everything else, I felt as though I could truly blend in as a Midgardian. Clint and Nat had become my closest friends on Earth, reminding me of those I had on Asgard.

Because I had successfully finished my training, I had been sent out on my first extended mission. It wasn't anything too complicated, for me at least. Fury informed me that they had been trying to figure out what to do for months, and now that they had a shapeshifter, a lot of missions were in store for me.

This one I had to imitate an important political figure to see if they were double siding between the U.S and different enemies. The real diplomat was taking a leave of absence for a vacation. Thanks to the hackers at SHIELD, no one received the email.

After a day of sitting through meetings about diplomatic tensions and what we should be doing, I returned back to my temporary home.

I checked my SHIELD issued phone and noticed I had a few calls from Phil and Clint. Phil was also a dear friend of mine, always asking about my planet. He was a curious one for sure, always looking for more information.

"What going on?" I asked Phil when he finally answered

_"I met one of the friends you mentioned. You never said he was an Asgardian God."_

"You never asked about who they were after I said they were peaceful," I pointed out.

_"So peaceful is taking out all of my men now?"_

"Oh, so it was Thor you met. What is he doing on Earth?" I asked.

_"Something about Odin banishing him. I'm not entirely sure, but he warmed up to me after I mentioned I knew you. He just left back to Asgard after basically destroying a small town in a fight with a giant robot-thing with some other warriors."_

"Yeah, getting banished sounds like Thor," I nodded, "So everything is alright now?"

_"As far as I'm concerned. I'm not sure when he's coming back, or if. But if he does then can you be here so we can talk to him?"_

"It depends on when I'm able to finish my mission. I would have been there earlier but I've been so busy I haven't checked my SHIELD phone in a day or two."

 _"Yeah, I noticed. Be sure to watch if I call._ _Good luck_ _agent."_

"Thanks Phil."

I ended the call and sent a text to Clint letting him know that I knew about the Thor situation. I added another text as sort of an afternote asking about Laura and the kids- how I found out about them was a complete accident when I saw a text on his phone, but they were truly wonderful. After that I saw a text from Nat saying she was going undercover with Tony Stark to see how dangerous he was.

Tony Stark was the first 'hero' on Earth. He had announced himself as Iron Man to the world the same year I came to Earth. With everything that had been going on, I couldn't help but wonder what else would happen.

I felt my phone buzz and checked it, smiling at the reply from Nat.

_Weird world we're living in huh? Aliens and superheroes?_

Aliens and superheroes was just the beginning.


	3. Recruitment

_And there came a day, a day unlike any other, when Earth's mightiest heroes and heroines found themselves united against a common threat. On that day, the Avengers were born to fight the foes no single superhero could withstand! Through the years, their roster has prospered, changing many times, but their glory has never been denied! Heed the call, then for now, the Avengers Assemble!_

I ran across the busy street in front of me, waving a thankful hand at the car that let me cross. I pulled at the edges of my skirt before I continued walking. On my planet long skirts were the fashion, it was strange wearing something so short. They were irritating honestly.

At the moment, I was imitating a blonde russian woman in order to get into an illegal ring. The real woman had been apprehended by SHIELD on my last mission, but the ring wasn't notified of that, which gave me the chance to go even deeper.

As I neared the building I had to enter I felt my phone buzz in the breast pocket of my blazer. I pulled it out, nodding to the employe who held the door open for me.

"Can't this wait Phil? I'm in the middle of a mission," I jogged to catch the closing of the meeting room door, smiling at the guard who was standing outside.

 _"We need you to come in,"_  Phil stated, ignoring my annoyance, " _It's more important than the ring."_

"Give me a minute," I requested, setting my phone down at the head of the table.

All of the business people there were waiting for me to begin talking, seeing as how the person I was imitating usually led the meetings.

"я думаю...this meeting is over."

I felt my body shift into its normal form, or rather, its human form. Even though Fury assured me there would be no experiments done on me, that didn't stop me from hiding behind a shift. After what I saw on his computer, I felt as though the humans would never accept me in my natural form.

Everyone who was sitting at the table jumped from their seats, some pulling out weapons. I knew I had a limited about of time before one of them alerted the guards. The rooms were soundproof so no one could hear their plans, but all they had to do was open the door and I could very well be overwhelmed.

I punched the two people closest to me in the jaw, knocking them over and out. I roundhouse kicked another person in the temple, throwing them at a woman to distract her. Jumping onto the table I wrapped my legs around a man's neck, twisting my body weight so he would crash into the glass furniture. Over my time training with Nat I had learned a more covert style of fighting, versus my planet and Asgard's up front style.

I grabbed one of the chairs and slammed it down on the last person. That was the Asgardian training showing through.   
Letting out a breath I shifted back into the business woman I was impersonating first.

I went to each to each person's computer and took all the files I would need, putting them on a flashdrive. When I was done, I wiped everything from the devices so they wouldn't be able to have anything but what they could remember. And by that point extra SHIELD members would have picked them up and locked them away.

"Sorry about that," I apologized when I picked the phone up again. I casually walked past the guards, closing the door behind me to make it seem like there was still a meeting going on.

_"The Tesseract has been taken by your pal Loki. We're starting the Avengers initiative again."_

I paused on the sidewalk. The streets of Moscow were bustling, which gave a lot of options for me. Finally, I decided on a red headed woman to shift into and I kept walking.

Loki had taken the Tesseract? I had heard of everything that had happened, about Loki trying to take over Asgard. That I could understand. Because Loki was the youngest, he was constantly pushed aside, and when he had his chance, he took it. But I thought he had died.

I had mourned for him, for my best friend. Now I had to process that he was alive? What had happened to him in between now and what happened on Asgard for that level of corruption?

"Is it going to work this time?" I questioned, shaking my head to clear it of all the thoughts that were floating through it, "The last time you mentioned it, it didn't work at all."

_"We'll see. I need you to recruit Steve Rogers."_

"I'm in Russia," I scoffed, "Isn't this time sensitive?"

 _"You two live in the same city so either way he's on your route. Be at the nearest airport in ten minutes,"_ Phil said before hanging up. I sighed, hailing a taxi back to the hotel I was staying at.

I grabbed my go-bag and checked out. Once I had finished at the hotel I hailed another cab to the airport. There, I immediately spotted the Quinjet waiting for me. It was private, nice, and fast, just the way I liked it.

On the jet, I made sure the cockpit door was closed before I transformed into my true, purple self again. Shifting into people took concentration, and being someone else all the time was hard, but I managed well enough.

I laid back on one of the couches, closing my eyes. So many things had to happen for me to be where I was, but it all worked out perfectly. I was twenty-one, pursuing what I had wanted my entire life.

Over the course of the years, I began understand conflict a bit more. Of course my first battle was very eye opening, but more and more I came to understand that there were those who started conflict, and those who had to end it. And sometimes, to end it, you had to fight. It was a necessary evil.

~*~

On the Quinjet, we made it back to D.C. in three hours instead of the normal eleven. That gave me some extra time to run home and shower, eat, and change.   
After that, I went straight to the gym Steve Rogers frequented, knowing that if anyone were to be up that late at night, it would be him. I had gone through the same thing when I first arrived on Earth after all.

Now that I was in more casual clothing, and in my human form, I looked like I could blend in anywhere, well, I could anyways, but now even more so.

When I entered the dimly lit gym, Steve punched the punching bag so hard it flew off of the chain and hit the wall, spilling out sand when it fell to the floor.

"Men go to war in search of something. Did you ever find it Mr Rogers?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"I lost more than I found," he told me openly, hooking a new bag and beginning to punch that one.

"This is a new generation, a new world. Don't you want to explore it? Celebrate your victory?"

"When I went under the world was at war. When I woke up they told me we won, but they didn't tell me what we lost."

"There have been some mistake made along the way Mr Rogers, some more recently than others," I held up a file for him to take.

"Who are you?" Steve asked as he took the manilla folder from me.

"(Y/n) Altovar," I held out my hand for him to shake, "SHIELD agent. They sent me here to retrieve you."

"Sending me on a mission, putting me back in the world," Steve chuckled, though there was no humor in his tone.

"Trying to save it actually," I motioned to the folder. He opened it up, looking at what was inside, "Howard Stark took it out of the ocean when they were trying to save you. He thought that the Tesseract would be the key to unlimited energy."

"And you don't?"

"Speaking from experience, things not of this world shouldn't be messed with."

"Who took it from you?" Steve handed back the file.

"His name is Loki, of Asgard. There's a lot you need to be brought up to speed on Mr Rogers. The world has gotten a whole lot stranger."

"I doubt anything would surprise me," Steve sighed.

"Ten bucks says you're wrong," I smiled gently, "There's a debriefing packet back at your apartment."

"SHIELD should have left it in the ocean," Steve picked up his punching bag and began walking out of the gym. Before he was out of sight entirely, he called out, "Steve is fine."

I grinned, mumbling to myself, "He's so in."

~*~

The debriefing packet left in Steve's apartment told him we'd be leaving three hours from the time he found it. That gave me time to go back to my apartment again and have a while to relax before the real action started.

When I got back, I packed a small go-bag. Just some clothes and an Asgardian sword, though I was usually able to hold out with hand to hand and magic. As I was going through my things, a slight glint caught my eye.

I looked up to my nightstand. Sitting on it was a small locket. I walked over and picked it up, hitting the small button on the side to open it up. A small hologram floated above the metal. It was a royal family portrait, made right after I was born.

"I miss you," I whispered, looking at my family's smiling faces.  
I hadn't visited my planet since I had left it years ago. It wasn't because my parents told me to never come back, I just...I finally felt as though I was finding myself, and if I went back to my planet, I would lose the path I was on.

I hooked my necklace around my neck, tucking it under my shirt. I felt the raised metal of the royal crest against my skin. A constant reminder that I was a princess that could kick-ass.

Knowing I should leave my apartment in case traffic was bad, I grabbed my bag and walked out of my bedroom, then my apartment, shutting the lights off behind me.

~*~

"There were a lot of people in the world who wanted to recreate the serum used on you," I said when I saw Steve watching a video of the Hulk, "Doctor Banner thought gamma radiation was the secret."

"I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially," Coulson struggled to hold back his excitement, "I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping. I mean, I was present while you were unconscious from the ice."

Steve nodded slowly, switching videos. This was one of me fighting during a mission. It showed both of my powers, magic usage and shapeshifting.

"You can shapeshift?" Steve questioned.

I nodded, shifting into him, "My voice as well, if I've heard the person I'm shifting into speak."

"Isn't there a-"

"Mutant like me? Yeah, I'm surprised you know about that."

"Are you a mutant?"

"It's um...It's a bit more complicated than that," I smiled awkwardly.

In all honestly, I didn't think the mutant with abilities identical to mine was actually a mutant. I thought someone from my planet arrived on Earth somehow and she was the one to inherit the genes for shapeshifting. Her being blue told me it wasn't someone of royal descent, though it depended on who married who.

Steve nodded in understanding, not pushing any further. I appreciated that. I hadn't really 'come out' to anyone as an alien who didn't already know.

"I hope I'm the man for the job," Steve sighed.

"Oh, you are. Absolutely. We've made some modifications to the uniform. I had a little design input," Phil told the man.

"The uniform? Aren't the stars and stripes a little old fashioned?"

"With everything going on right now, old fashioned is just what we need," I stated.

The ship landed and docked on the helicarrier within the next half hour. During that time I had talked a bit more with Steve, telling him more about the modern world while he told me what had happened during his time.

As we were exiting the ship I spotted Nat walking towards us, an authority in her stride. All that was on her mind was getting Clint back, and he was near the top of my list as well, just under saving the world.

"Agent Romanoff. Captain Rogers," Phil introduced.

"Hi," Nat greeted shortly, "They need you on the bridge. They're starting the face-trace."

Phil nodded and left to go to the bridge. Nat, Steve, and I walked casually along the runway.

"There was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?"   
Nat had a large smirk on her face.

"They're vintage," I added, smirking as well, "He's very proud."

As we were walking we noticed Bruce Banner, seeming extremely out of place among all of the hustle.

"Doctor Banner," Steve greeted, shaking his hand and giving him a reassuring smile, "Word is, you can find the cube."

"Is that the only word on me?" The scientist asked skeptically.

"Only word I care about," Steve said without hesitation.

The staff on the helicarrier began to run around, strapping everything down and preparing the deck for takeoff.

"Is this a submarine?" Steve wondered.

Nat and I shared a knowing look, neither of us answering. They would find out what it was in a minute.

"Really? They wanted me in a submerged pressurized metal container?" Bruce chuckled in disbelief.

Nat and I stayed in place, watching as the two men walked to the edge to see what was going on. I stayed steady as the helicarrier began to fly above the water and into the air. The first time I was nearly knocked off of my feet, now, it was normal.

"Oh no, this is much worse."

The four of us moved from the deck inside to the bridge. There, Fury was giving orders to get us in the air. When he was finished, he gave us a nod. Steve fished out ten dollars from his pocket, handing it to me.

I smiled, stuffing the money into my pocket. I knew he would see something stranger.

I moved to the table, sitting down in one of the seats and leaning back. No tutors to tell me to sit up straight now. Within a few seconds, Steve sat down in the seat next to mine. There were plenty of empty seats around the table, but I was probably where he felt most comfortable, just because he knew me the best, even if that wasn't very well.

"How long have you been working for SHIELD?" Steve asked.

"Three years. When I came-" I stopped myself from saying when I came to Earth, "When I came to D.C they found me, asked me to join."

"We got a hit," an agent reported, "Germany. He's not exactly hiding."

Fury looked to me and Steve, "Captain, (Y/n), you're up."

The two of us stood from our seats. I motioned for Steve to follow me so I could show him where his suit was. As we were leaving the bridge Fury called me back. I told Steve to keep walking straight and I would catch up and lead him the rest of the way in a second.

"Stay close to him Agent," Fury ordered, "You two are the most alike here and he needs someone he can trust."

"What you want me to seduce him?" I asked sarcastically.

"I want you, to make friends. Romanoff and Barton were a good start but the Captain is a great ally."

"Noted, Director."

I turned and ran back down the hallway Steve was walking down, catching up in a few seconds.

"You said when you came to D.C. like you're not from America. Where are you from?"

I knew he was just trying to make conversation, but even that simple question made me tense up. He took notice.

"You don't like talking about it. Trust issues?"

"Sort of," I shrugged with a shy smile, "Though you're probably trustworthy. There are some things about me that are better left in the dark. For now at least."

When entered the locker room. It was entirely dedicated to Steve, even though it was only his suit in there. Fury and Phil had a flair for dramatic effect.

I pressed the pad in front of the locker and stepped back as the metals doors slid open. There, was his Captain America uniform, with his original shield. I smiled brightly in an attempt to brighten the somber atmosphere.

"Like we said Cap, we could use the stars and stripes."


	4. Small Steps

I stared out the window of the Quinjet, stuck in my own thoughts. The first was that my uniform felt nice and familiar. It had been given to me after a year with shield. The material was organic so it was supposed to shift with my body if the need arose. On top of that, it covered the majority of my skin as well.

Even though I always stayed in my human form, there was an underlying fear that I would randomly switch back into myself. Fury had seemed to have picked up on that and made my suit less risque than Nat's- who was much more comfortable with herself.

I looked over to the live stream of what was happening in Germany. That wasn't my Loki. The Loki who wrapped my battle wounds, who sent me a com crying after he found out he was a Jotun, and that he had been given the title of king- which he never wanted.

I had to find out what had happened to him between the destruction of the Bifrost and what was going on now.

The Quinjet flew over the gala Loki had crashed. The bottom doors opened and Steve and I jumped down. Steve held his shield up just in time to protect an elderly man from being shot.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing," Steve stated.

"The soldier. A man out of time," Loki's eyes travelled to me, "And the alien who wants to be human."

I scowled, throwing my hands out so my discs could revolve around them.

"I'm not the one who's out of time," Steve sent me a confused glance.

Nat swung down in the quinjet, guns trained on Loki, "Loki drop the weapon and stand  down."

I tugged on Steve's arm, making him bend down so I could whisper in his ear.

"Get the scepter, it's what is giving him so much power."

Loki raised said weapon and shot a bolt of power at the two of us. We dove away from each other to avoid it.

Steve ran towards Loki, throwing his shield in the process. I followed behind closely. The two of us stumbled a few times at first, almost hitting each other instead of Loki. But we eventually fell into a rhythm of offense and defense.

Steve was blown back from a shot, leaving me against Loki. I swung my discs rapidly, landing a few solid hits in the process.

"How ashamed your people would be to see you now. Their precious princess fighting. Not only in the physical sense, but fighting all of their ideals as well."

"I fight to protect my planet from people like you," I snapped.

Both of us paused when classic rock rang through the air. It was AC/DC. I had only ever heard that band from one person-

"Nersh," I whispered. It was a common swear word on my planet.

"Make your move, Reindeer Games," Tony's  entire arsenal was pointed at the god.

Loki slowly put his hands up in surrender. His armor materialized away.   
at landed the quinjet and got out to cuff Loki. He was then led onto the ship with the rest of us following.

"Good job out there," Steve complimented.

"Oh barf," Tony rolled her eyes, "Already got a crush on (Y/n), Capsicle?"

"Watch your mouth Stark," I warned.

"You got it," Stark nodded, but the trace of a smirk on his mouth told me he had no intentions of doing so.

"(Y/n) flirting with someone who isn't of a high blood status? What a scandal," Loki chuckled.

I smacked the back of his head. It was a very sibling-like thing to do, but I didn't actually want to harm him. There had to be some trace of my Loki in there somewhere.

Lightning flashed through the sky. Loki looked up worriedly when thunder rnag soon after. Steve and Tony took notice.

"Scared of a little lightning?" Tony questioned mockingly.

"I'm not fond of what follows."

I laughed, drawing the attention to me, "Loki you know exactly what you're in for."

A loud thud originated from the roof. Tony opened the landing door, ready to face what was outside. I knew exactly what, or rather,  _who_  was out there. Thor landed, grabbing Loki and taking off before anyone could do anything.

"Not the strangest thing I've seen today."

I looked to the other three before I jumped out of the ship as well. It was a bit of a rough landing on the ground, but I managed. Levitation had never been a strong concept for me. Even if it wasn't necessarily levitation in the first place. When I was younger, I theorized that if you put a shield under your feet then you would be able to lift yourself with it. No matter how much I practised it, it was always a struggle.

When I arrived on the ground Thor was hanging Loki off the edge of the cliff. I knew Loki would most likely survive the fall, and Thor didn't have the heart to drop him, but watching the once inseparable brothers fight was unbearable.

"I leave for what, a year, two? Can you two really not handle yourselves while I'm gone?" I yelled angrily.

"Greetings, Lady (Y/n)," Thor greeted casually, still holding Loki by the throat, "I see you have donned a Midgardian appearance."

"She's hiding what she really is,"Loki hissed.

"So are you," I snapped back. Thor hesitantly let Loki go and he walked away from the edge of the cliff.

"I am not yearning for the acceptance of the humans. I know I am above them. As are you."

"You cannot come here and do this Loki.  Earth is under my protection," Thor cut it."

Loki let out a laugh, "And you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly threat. I mean to rule them. And why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them," Thor shook his head, "You miss the truth of ruling, brother. Throne would suit you ill."

Loki scowled, "I've seen worlds you could only dream of  _Odinson_. I've grown, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the TEsseract and when I wield it-"

"Who showed you this power?" I asked desperately, "Who controls this would be king?"

"I am a king!" Loki screamed.

"Not here," I shouted, grabbing Loki's shoulders. I turned back into my trueform as I lost focus on it, "Give up the Tesseract, give up this deadly dream. Go home Loki."

"I don't have," Loki said slowly.

Thor summoned his hammer to his hand, "You listen well, brother-"

Before Thor could finish, he was tackled off of the mountain. The flash of red and gold told me who did it.

"I'm listening," Loki said sarcastically.

"Shut up, Loki," I rolled my eyes. I made sure I was in my human form before I tried to figure out a way down.

From what I could see, Thor and Tony were quite evenly matched, despite Tony's disadvantage as a Midgardian. He was quite impressive, even if I didn't want to tell that to his face. He would never let me live that down.

"All of that concentrating on different things will drain you," Loki said boredly, crossing his arms, "Let yourself be who you really are. You can't fight as well when you're trying to look human because your focus is on staying that way."

"I fight well enough," I defended, "I'm just fine staying in my human form thank you."

"But not enough to win this battle," Loki sneered, "They will never accept you for who you truly are. They will deny you, experiment on you. But not me. I will accept you, as you have accepted me."

"Take them back to the ship, I'll calm Thor down," I ordered through the com, "Humans accept heroes, and that's what I am Loki."

"But will it be enough, dear (Y/n)?"

I let out a weary sigh, not knowing how to respond. It's not like aliens in the past had been heroes, but maybe they had come to Earth for the same reasons I had.

When we were back on the Quinjet, Thor was brooding and looking out the window, not wanting to admit that it would have been a struggle to beat Steve and Tony. Tony was up front with Nat, making playful banter, Loki was back in his seat, and Steve and I were simply standing in silence.

I knew he wanted to ask what Loki meant when he said I was an alien, and when he said I was flirting with a commoner, but I also knew he was too respectful to do something so blunt. It made me smile. Men on Earth were often too forward, it was nice knowing a gentleman.

When we arrived back on the helicarrier Loki was taken to a holding cell. It was specially built for the Hulk, and I assured Fury that Loki wouldn't be able to fight his way out of it.

_"In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass. Thirty thousand feet, straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant. Boot."_

_"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."_

_I sent an instinctive glance at Bruce. He seemed entirely calm, even though all of us knew who Loki was talking about._

_"Built for something a lot stronger than you."_

_"Oh I've heard," Loki smirked at the camera, "How desperate are you, that you call upon such lost creatures to defend you?"_

_"How desperate am I? You threaten my planet with war. You talk about peace and kill cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate."_

_"Ooh. It burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."_

_"Well let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something,"_   _Fury said sarcastically._

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Bruce questioned.

"(Y/n)," Steve turned to me, "Forgive me, if this is rude, but in Germany Loki said you were an alien who wanted to be human. Are you Asgardian?"

"Lady (Y/n) is not Asgardian," Thor said in his booming voice, drawing the attention of everyone around us, "She is-"

"Thor," I said in a warning tone.

"Agent Altovar's place of birth is her business and her business alone. If she wishes to share that information, then she will in due time," Fury approached us. I sighed in relief, "Agent, you're the most likely to get information out of Loki."

"But Nat's the interrogator," I stated in confusion.

"But he has a soft side for you," Fury smirked.

"He's like a brother," I rolled my eyes. I expected someone to reprimand me for doing so, but when no one did I remembered how different it was to not be royalty. Old habits die hard, "I'll get on it."

I left the bridge and began to make my way towards Loki's cell. On the way, I peeked in the lab, noticing the scepter. Loki could wait for a few minutes while I figured out why exactly this scepter was changing Loki.

"It's powered by a- Oh my Atreyu," I whispered, "This is an Infinity Stone."

I had heard stories. Loki and Thor told me that they were scattered throughout the galaxy, but I didn't realize that Loki was wielding one. Was the Tesseract an Infinity stone as well?

"This metal is from my planet," I realized, "How did they get that?"

I reached out to touch it, but my hand instinctively jerked back. The energy rolling off of it screamed "Danger and Control' and not in a good way. For obvious reasons.

"What happened to interrogating Reindeer Games?" Tony questioned as he entered. Steve and Bruce in tow.

"I got distracted," I explained, "You can run experiments on this but  _don't_ touch it."

"Ow!"

I snapped up, sending a warning glance to Tony.

"What are you doing Stark?" I questioned.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?"

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve asked angrily.

"Funny things are," Tony shrugged.

"He's like this all the time," I told Steve, not even trying to hide it. Royals were supposed to be dignified. That meant being honest.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offense, doctor."

"No it's alright. I wouldn't have come if I couldn't handle pointy things."

"You're tiptoeing big man. You need to strut," Tony smirked.

"And you need to focus on the problem Tony," I crossed my arms.

"You think I'm not? Why did Fury call us and why now? Why not before? What isn't he telling us? I can't do the equation unless I have all the variables."

"You think Fury's hiding something?"

"He's a spy. Captain, his secrets have secrets. Including her," Tony pointed at me, "I've known her almost as long as I've known Agent Romanoff and all I know is that she's an alien. But in what sense? I should probably look into that once my decryption programmer finishes breaking into all of SHIELD's secure files."

"What?" I nearly yelled, my tone full of nerves.

"Yep. Jarvis has been running it since I hit the bridge. In a little while, we'll know every dirty secret SHIELD has ever tried to hide. Including where they found you, and how you know Thor and Loki. Blueberry?"

As Steve and Tony continued to bicker I reached for the computer, keeping my hand on it for a second before taking it off. There, that just stopped Tony's algorithm from hacking my file. The one beautiful thing about magic, it could overrule technology.

"What did you just do?" Bruce asked me.

"I stopped Tony from hacking my file," I whispered back.

"Trying to hide where you're from won't help whatever this is work. We have a god, an assassin, Tony Stark, a green beast, and a man from the forties. You'll fit in just fine."

"It's not entirely where I'm from," I sighed, "The Earth has placed a significance on how one looks. Because of my abilities, I can conform to that. But if I revealed what I really was...You know, I believe that now is a good time to interrogate Loki. Thank you for your time."

I didn't want to interrogate Loki, my best friend, but I didn't want to stay at the lab. On the way there I shifted myself into Nat, being her always filled me with a sense of confidence, even if I couldn't do it very often.

"Loki," I spoke, hearing Nat's voice instead of my own.

"I'd assume you'd come to be. To appear as a friend, a balm, and I would-" Loki suddenly stopped, his grin widening, "You always were such a clever one, tricking me into thinking you were someone else. But I see who you are (Y/n)."

I shifted into my human form. Loki frowned, slamming his fist against the glass. Not expecting it, I jumped.

"You hide yourself behind a mask. But I know who you are.  _Show me_."

I glanced up at the camera nervously. Raising my hand, I shut it off temporarily, looping the footage so the ship wouldn't be sent into a panic. After I was sure I'd be okay, I transformed into my true form.

"They will never accept you for who you truly are," Loki smirked, stepping up to the glass, "Those you've revealed yourself to already are always on edge, ready to jump and send you to experimentation if you step over the line. On Earth, if you aren't what society wants you to be, you don't matter.

"But you matter to me dear (Y/n). You are a goddess that shouldn't have to hide who she really is. They should be bowing, kneeling to you."

"They'll think I'm a monster," I whispered, looking down at my hands, "They'll call me a freak."

"You aren't the monster here, they brought it."

I wiped under my eyes, pressing the com in my ear, "Loki wants to unleash the Hulk." Before I could walk out entirely I paused, turning to face Loki. I gave him a mock bow, full of royal formality, "Thank you your majesty."

I left the room, taking my time walking back to the lab. It was a short walk, and I had to stretch it out to think.

The last thing I wanted to do was show who I truly was, the fear of what could happen was drilled into me, but fear kept me from my full potential. In some weird way, Loki was right. If I continued to focus on keeping myself human, I would lose us the battle.

Loki wanted my fear to be our downfall, so I had to turn him on his head. I had powerful friends. Fury and several others said themselves that they would protect me. I had to have faith, and believe in my ability to protect myself. I left my planet to create peace. The first step, the baby step if you would, was creating peace within myself.

"Okay, okay," I leaned against the wall out, "I can do this. I can do this...I can't do this. Oh my Atreyu I can't do this. What a pathetic princess."

I pushed myself off of the wall, entering the lab in my human form. I wasn't ready to reveal myself. Mental pep talk or not, I needed time to process, to reveal myself in a time where we weren't working at one hundred percent.

"I swear on my crown that I will reveal myself before this is over," I whispered. I nodded once, "No way I can back out now."


	5. Earth Will Understand

"Are you still hacking the SHIELD database?" I questioned when Tony noticed me.

I got my answer when Fury stormed into the room, "What are you doing, Mr Stark?"

"Kind of been wondering the same thing about you," Tony said casually.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract."

"We are. The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get a hit, we'll have the location within half a mile," Bruce cut in, lowkey defending Tony.

"And you'll get your cube back, no muss, no fuss. What's Phase Two?"

Steve entered the room, slamming a gun down on the table. His eyes travelled around the room, stopping on me and softening a bit. I was pretty much the only one here who had his trust, I had that effect on people, all royalty was supposed to.

"Phase Two is SHIELD uses the cbe to make weapons. Sorry, the computer was moving a little slow for me."

"Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're-"

"I'm sorry, Nick," Tony flipped the computers screen, showing off the blueprints for the weapons, "Were you lying?"

"I was wrong, director. The world hasn't changed a bit," Steve scoffed in disgust.

At that moment, Thor and Nat walked into the lab. They were calm at first, before noticing the tense air.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Nat looked to Banner.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed," Bruce scoffed.

"Loki's manipulating you."

"And what exactly, have you been doing?"

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you."

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy. I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction."

"Because of them," Fury motioned to me and Thor.

The two of us were instinctively standing close to each other. We trusted each other the most, and this is what Asgardian battle tactics looked like, staying close to those you trusted.

"Us?"

"Two and a half years ago Agent Altovar came to Earth. She has the ability to transform herself into any being, dead or alive. Remind me again, how SHIELD discovered you?"

"I imitated you," I grumbled, crossing my arms, "In order to gain access to the SHIELD database when I was nineteen."

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town. We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned."

"Our people want nothing but peace with your planet," Thor said for both of us.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled."

"Like you controlled the cube?"

"You're work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war."

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with some-"

"A  nuclear deterrent. Cause that always calms everything right down," Tony said.

"Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?"

"I'm sure i the still made weapons, Stark would be neck-"

"Wait, wait. Hang on. How is this now about me?"

"I'm sorry, isn't everything?"

"I thought humans were more evolved than this," Thor crossed his arms, "(Y/n)'s planet does not have such petty squabbles."

"Aha! So you admit she isn't from Earth!"

"So (Y/n) was raised into not fighting, but she's an agent for SHIELD?"

"I'm choosing to help humans in the only way they seem to understand it. Deceit, powers, and fighting," I growled defensively.

"Do we come to your planet and blow stuff up Thor?"

"Are you all really that naive? SHIELD monitors potential threats."

"Captain America is on that watchlist?"

"We all are."

"Is he above or below angry bees?"

"I swear to God, Stark, one more wisecrack..."

"Threat! Verbal threat! I feel threatened!"

I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block out all of the fighting around me. The anger, the tension, the mistrust, all of it was overloading my senses. If this didn't stop soon the stress would take over.

"Show some respect," Steve scoffed.

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos."

"It's his M-O isn't it? I mean, what are we, a team? No, no, no. We're a chemical mixture that makes chaos. We're a time bomb."

"Why shouldn't the guy let off a little steam?"

"You know damn well why," Steve snapped, "Back off!"

"Oh, I'm starting to want you to make me," Tony challenged.

"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off, what are you?"

"Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist."

"You need to stop," I mumbled, managing to stay in my human form for a few seconds before stress took over again.

"I know guys with none of that worth ten of you," I knew exactly who Steve was talking about. James Buchanan Barnes. They were best friends, " Yeah, I've seen the footage. The only thing you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you."

"I think I would just cut the wire," Tony shrugged.

"You know, you may not be a threat, but you better stop pretending to be a hero."

"A hero? Like you? You a lab experiment, Rogers. Everything special about you came out of a bottle."

"Stop it," I repeated, louder this time. Again, I was ignored and the group continued to bicker, "I said stop!"

The scepter flew into my outstretched hand. Properly, my form had settled on Loki. I let out a shocked breath, shifting back into my human form.

I looked up. Nat and Fury had their hands on their guns. Thor had his hand out, ready to summon his hammer, and everyone else looked ready for a fight.

I immediately placed the scepter back down. It had been able to pick up on all the negative emotions I was feeling and fly- quite literally- into my hand.Banner broke the tension by walking over to the computer when it beeped. His eyes widened when he read the location of the Tesseract.

"Oh my God!"

An explosion went off around us, knocking everyone back. Nat and Banner were thrown out of the window, shattering it. I groaned, standing up shakily. Whoever Loki had recruited to help him in his plans was here.

I shook off the pain reverberating through my body, focusing on the task at hand. I heard through my com that the third engine was down. I knew the others would be able to handle that. My biggest worry was Loki. This was his plan, so what was he doing?

On my way there I quite literally ran into Phil. He was carrying a rather large gun in his arms.

"Status Phil," I ordered as we continued walking, ignoring the urge to tell Phil that he had to apologize. Royals never apologized. We could be stuck up.

"Loki's still on the ship. I was ordered to keep the place on lockdown."

"Loki is a god, and you think you could win a fight against him?" It seemed like a harsh insult, but Midgardians were always so sensitive so it was hard to differentiate insult from normal speak, even if I had been on the planet for two and a half years.

"There's a good chance I'll die in there actually, but that's my job."

"No, it's my job. I'm sorry Phil."

"What-"

I swiftly punched Phil across the jaw, hard enough to knock him out. I dragged his limp body over to another room and made sure he was fine before returning to the original hallway. I picked up the gun he was carrying, shifting into Phil. Loki would be less guarded around someone he thought he could easily kill.

When I entered the room I easily knocked out the guard in front of me. I pointed the gun directly at Loki. He was ready to press the giant red death button, while Thor was in the cage.

"Move away please," I requested.

Loki looked at me, but not  _through_  me like he normally did when I was in a shifted form. I mentally breathed a sigh of relief. With everything going on, he wasn't focused enough to see who I really was.

"You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent The Destroyer," I racked my brain for what Phil told me about this weapon, "Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?"

I felt a sharp pain go through my stomach, and the Loki in front of the panel disappeared. I smiled bitterly. Looks like both of us had deceived each other. The real Loki was behind me, stabbing me with the cepter.

"No!" Thor screamed as my form flickered. It took everything I had to stay as Phil. If I wasn't him, then I didn't have as big of a chance to get information.

I fell to the floor, leaning against the wall. Loki walked over to the panel and pressed down on the button, letting Thor free fall. I couldn't hold on anymore, and allowed myself to shift back to my Trueform. Loki glanced at his scepter. The blood had changed from red to  purple.

"Purple," he muttered. His triumphant face fell, and for a moment, I saw the Loki that had become my best friend, "(Y/n)?"

Loki rushed to my side, kneeling next to me. I winced as I felt my wound stitching itself together. Loki was using the scepters magic to speed up the healing process.

"So you're healing me now?" I questioned.

"I never wanted you to die. I wanted you to rule with me," Loki muttered.

"You're going to lose," I groaned, trying to sit up. In the process, I raised my weapon, "You lack conviction."

I shot off. Loki was blown back through the wall. I let out a hum. Now I knew what it did. Putting a hand over my half-healed stomach I stood up. I needed to get to the medbay so they could patch me up the rest of the way.

"(Y/n)!" Phil ran over to me, a hand over his jaw, "Why did you do that? Oh God, you're bleeding."

"You didn't get your cards signed," I smiled weakly. I flung my arm over his shoulders, "Now bring me to the medbay. I don't think I need stitches now, but I do need a bandage at the very least."

In the medbay, the nurses easily patched up my wound, warning me to take it easy. None of us believed that I would. On top of that, they didn't seem surprised to see my Trueform. Guess they had seen weirder while working with SHIELD.

"I know you're probably getting tired of hearing this, but focusing on staying human isn't going to help anyone win this fight," Phil advised.

"Loki said the same thing to me and I'm starting to think it's true," I huffed, "I've just been so afraid of being experimented on, being hated."

"If you were trying to destroy life as you know it then yeah you would be hated, but you're trying to save it. Maybe what the world needs is someone like you to show them that not everything they don't understand is evil."

I thought about both what Loki and Phil said. Thinking about what Loki said seemed crazy, but he was right in some ways. I wasn't what society wanted me to be, but none of the heroes were. That's how they became heroes. Hiding myself would keep concentration off the fight, where all of my concentration needed to be.

"You know, I swore on the throne that I would reveal myself earlier," I gave Phil a small smile, "I was about ready to give up my status. Thank you."

~*~

I searched through the helicarrier for those who remained of the team. Bruce and Thor were gone who knows where. Nat and Clint were talking through what happened and I didn't want to intrude on that. That left Steve and Tony.

"She wasn't smart," Tony stated, not noticing my approaching footsteps."

"For believing?"

"For taking Loki on alone. With the scepter her magic doesn't compare to his. She should have waited."

"She was doing her job," Steve defended.

"I'm not marching to Fury's fife."

"Neither am I. He's got the same blood on his hands as Loki does. Right now we've got to put that aside and get this done. Now Loki needs a power source, if we can put together a list-"

"He made it personal."

"You two are talking about me like I'm dead," I announced my arrival.

Steve and Tony glanced at me briefly, before their eyes snapped back. I held out my hands in a 'surprise' sort of motion. Tony smirked triumphantly, his point of me being an alien proven true. Steve's mouth opened and closed a few times, like he wanted to say something but had no idea what  _to_ say.

"All of you wanted to see what I really looked like, here I am."

"You're still beautiful," Steve complimented.

"Thank you," I smiled, "Now, Loki wants to tear us apart and he wants an audience while he's doing it. He wants parades, flowers, a monument. All the attention he didn't get on Asg- Oh my Atreya! New York, we have to get to New York! Stark he's going for your tower!"

Tony and Steve's eyes widened in realization. Steve spoke up first, "Suit up."

The three of us went our separate ways for the short amount of time we needed to suit up. I had a spare packed away, a smart move considering the large hole in my first one from Loki stabbing me.

After I had changed, I ran to find Nat and Clint. To my surprise- Earth sarcasm there- they were still in the room Clint was being held in momentarily. I knocked slightly, before opening the door.

"So your out in the open huh?" Nat asked with a knowing smile, "About damn time."

"Glad you're getting more comfortable on Earth," Clint added, walking out of the bathroom.

"Are you feeling well enough to fly?" I asked the man.

"I can fly," Clint confirmed.

"Great. You have two minutes to suit up and met us in the bay. We're going to have to steal something," I chuckled, "I've never felt so mischievous in my life."

"What a good princess you were," Nat rolled her eyes playfully.

All of us met up in front of the bay in the five minutes. Stark had left already, flying ahead so he could get to New York faster and see the status of the situation.

"You are not authorized to be here-" A young SHIELD pilot tried to stop us as we entered a ship.

"Son," Steve started, holding up a hand, "Just don't."

The man nodded, frightened. He quickly scurried off of the quinjet, leaving the four of us with it. Clint took a seat in the pilot's chair and we took off, completely unauthorized.

"Whatever the Chitauri are they're a danger to the people," I stated, "That means we get civilians off of the streets and into safe places. Midgardian weapons, even the police, won't be a match for what they have. Trust me, space technology is more advanced than this."

"We have to find a way to shut it down," Steve added, "Destroying any aliens that may be back there as well."

"Thor," I tried to call to Thor through the com he was giving, praying it was still somewhat working, "Thor!"

_"Yes, Lady (Y/n)?"_

"Oh thank Atreya you're alive," I sighed in relief, "Something isn't right with Loki. I wasn't there for what went down last year, but Thor, you need to tread lightly okay? Our Loki wouldn't normally do this."

_"I understand."_


	6. Battle of New York

__

As the Quinjet entered New York, I spotted Stark's red and gold suit shining in the distance.

"What, did you stop for drive-thru? Swing up park, I'm gonna lay 'em out for you."

As Tony came into full view, I could see the Chitauri soldiers following after him. Nat pulled out the ships gun and fired at the aliens.

As the quinjet passed around the tower, Loki shot a blast out of his scepter. I gripped one of the top straps tightly as the ship swung to the ground in a rocky landing. The team hurried off of the quinjet, preparing their weapons.

A large worm-like alien flew from the portal. That would be damn-near impossible to kill. As it moved above us, Chitauri jumped from the sides landing in the areas around us. We ducked behind a few different taxis.

"Steve the civilians will listen to you. Go!" I waved Steve off as the Chitauri neared us.

Steve seemed hesitant, "Will you be alright here?"

"You should know by now Captain, I can handle it," I smiled confidently.

I waved my hands to form a few different motions. That sent a small group of the Chitauri flying into each other and through a building.  Knowing Clint and Nat would have my back, I ran towards a bus full of trapped civilians. I dislodged the shrapnel that was trapping them on the emergency door, and began helping them out.

As I helped a small girl out of the bus she stared up at me in wonder, "Are you an angel?"

"I'm an alien," I corrected, "What's your name?"

"Kamala Khan, I wanna be a hero like you!"

I smiled gently, "If you work hard enough, you will be. Now go with your parents to safety."

I finished helping the civilians off of the bus, pointing out subway entrances that they could go through. Several of them thanked me, and called me a hero. The majority of them didn't even seem bothered by my appearance. Strange, that I was so concerned with it for so long.

I felt a presence behind me and summoned a pair of discs, killing a Chitauri soldier and I swung around. I stole his weapon, shooting the other Chitauri in the area. Steve ran over to the three of us, taking out as many aliens as he could along the way.

Thor landed with a loud boom near us, stumbling slightly. He looked at the damage for a moment, before he turned to me.

"Forgive me Lady (Y/n), but Loki might be too far gone to save."

"I don't believe that," I grumbled, "You don't give up on family."

From behind us, a motorcycle was nearing the area. I turned around, laughing joyously when I saw Bruce Banner sitting upon it. Bruce stopped it, kicked out the kickstand, and walked towards us.

"So, this all seems horrible," Banner said casually.

"I've seen worse," Nat shrugged.

"Sorry."

"No, it's fine. We could use a little worse right now."

"Stark, we got him."

_"Tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you."_

Stark came around the corner of a skyscraper, the giant worm following him. I lifted up the staff I was holding towards it. Bruce sighed, beginning a slow walk towards the creature.

"Now would be an amazing time for you to get angry," I said breathlessly.

"That's my secret, Princess. I'm always angry."

Bruce's body began to shift and transform as he became the Hulk. He punched the creature straight in the nose. The force was so great that his tail lifted up and began to fall towards us. I ducked behind Steve's shield as Tony shot a few small rockets at the creature.

"Thanks Steve," I smiled, putting a hand on his wrist, "This is a formidable weapon."

"It's something," Steve agreed, flushed under the mask.

Steve and I joined the others in a circle as we looked around for more Chitauri. Even more of the worm creatures and plain footsoldiers flew into New York from the portal.

"Until we can close that portal our priority is containment," Steve took charge, giving out orders, "Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash."

Tony and Clint took off.

"Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal. Slow them down. You've got the lightning. Light the bastards up. (Y/n), make your way to Loki, you said something is off, find out what and take out anything you can on the way there. Stay safe," Steve's eyes were full of concern. I knew he didn't want to lose the one person he could identify with in this modern age, "Nat, you and I stay on the ground. Hulk...Smash."

I twirled the staff in my hands, separating from Steve and Nat to go back to the tower. As I got closer and closer, I encountered several Chitauri soldiers. Instead of drawing out a pointless battle, I simply shot them with their own weaponry before I moved on.

One such soldier snuck up behind me while I was distracted. He wrapped his arm around my neck and threw me into a car. I let out a wheeze, groaning. When I reached out for the Chitauri weapon I had been carrying he kicked it away.

"You little wurn," I cursed, rolling away as the soldier shot at me.

I jumped up, grabbing the gun in his hands and pushing it up so it hit the alien in his face. I then kicked his stomach and grabbed a piece of shrapnel nearby. The sharp piece of metal cut my hands slightly, but I didn't drop it. I swung it down on the Chitauri, taking the chance to grab their gun and shoot them.

"I could really use the Cloak of Levitation right now," I stared up at the tower, "Experimentation will have to do."

I ran to the edge of the highway I was on, throwing my hands down. A shield appeared below my feet, moving me upwards. But, I couldn't hold it long, and it soon disappeared. That left me flying through the air with no plan.

"Tony!" I screamed.

_"On it."_

As I was nearing the ground Tony grabbed my arms. He flew me towards the tower and dropped me near the roof. I somersaulted as to not injure my ankles. When I had settled a bit, I looked at the intimidating machine in front of me.

 _"Hulk is handling Loki, take out the portal (Y/n),"_ Steve changed my original orders.

"I'm there right now," I noticed Doctor Selvig on the ground nearby, "How do I stop this?"

"Loki's scepter may be able to close the portal, and I'm looking right at it."

I joined Dr Selvig at the edge of the roof, on the terrace below us, Loki's scepter was shining in the sunlight.

I estimated the distance, before jumping down. When I neared the floor, I threw my hands down, forming a shield. It flickered, but caught me before I could hurt myself all the same. I gripped the scepter tightly and realized I wouldn't be able to get back up by jumping, my shields were too unreliable and Tony was likely occupied.

"Elevator, okay," I ran inside, barely registering Loki's pained form before I entered the elevator.

"Can you take me to the roof please?" I requested politely.

"Of course Ms Altovar."

"You know who I am?" I questioned, jerking my arm out to grab the bar when the elevator began to move. I was still getting over my initial fear of the machine. I winced when I saw the purple blood I left. My hands were still bleeding from my encounter earlier.

"Mr Stark registered your name and voice while all of you were on the helicarrier," the AI explained.

"Oh, well, thank you," I stepped out when the doors opened.

"My pleasure."

I held the scepter up for Doctor Selvig to see. He was already working on the machine so we could shut it down. Selvig nodded to me and I pushed the tip of the scepter through the field. I paused, pressing the com in my ear.

"I can shut the portal down! Can everyone hear me?"

_"Do it!"_

_"No don't!"_ Tony yelled back,  _"I got a nuke coming in, it's gonna blow in less than a minute. And I know just where to put it."_

I soon realized what Tony meant, "Tony your body wasn't made to survive space, you can't do that!"

I didn't get a verbal answer. Instead, I saw Tony's red and gold armor fly past me, a nuke on top of him. One of the things I had learnt about was the bomb set down upon Hiroshima, I knew the damage nukes could cause, and it would do nothing to stop the Chitauri.

Tony disappeared through the portal. I waited anxiously for him to come back out. Around thirty seconds passed, and there was nothing. My fingers tightened around the cool metal handle of the scepter, my blood making my grip falter.

_"Close it."_

I pushed the scepter into the core, shutting the machine and portal down completely. As the view of space became nonexistent, there was a flash. I dropped the scepter, running to the edge of the roof. Tony was free falling towards the ground, and he didn't show any sign of slowing down.

"Nersh, Stark," I waved my hand, trying to conjure up some spell that would slow his deadly fall.

Sure enough, a shield appeared below his body, but I couldn't even carry myself on a shield, so when the purple light shattered I wasn't surprised. The Hulk jumped from the building he was purchased on, grabbing Tony midair and landing on the ground, most likely breaking the concrete.

"Is he breathing?" I asked through the com in panic, "Steve is he alive?"

I got frustrated with Tony at times, that was obvious, but he tried his best to right his wrongs and be a hero, and I understood that.

_ROAR_

_"He's awake, Hulk woke him up,"_ Steve reported, sounding relieved as well.

 _"Hey Princess,"_ Tony's snarky voice came through the com,  _"Have you had shawarma yet? It's an Earth delicacy."_

"No Stark, I haven't, we have other things to deal with."

_"Right...But shawarma after, right?"_

~*~

I walked across the street towards the other avengers, gladly showing off my true self. There were times, when I felt the stares, and wanted to shift into my human form again, but I held off. I had saved New York, and I was a princess, people could stare.That wasn't to say I didn't have a journey to self-acceptance ahead of me, but I felt like I was halfway there.

Loki was to be tried for his crimes, but the likelihood of Odin executing him was low. The favoritism was obvious, but Odin had raised Loki, and Frigga wouldn't let him. She had more power of the King of the Nine Realms than any other being.

The Tesseract was put into a container and handed to Thor, it would be taken back to Asgard and guarded properly, where no one would be able to misuse it again. Thor held out the Tesseract for Loki to grab a hold of, and the god hesitantly did so.

"Your word would help at Loki's trial," Thor turned to me, "It would be wonderful to have you return to Asgard."

"Thanks Thor," I looked at the group around me, "But I came to Earth to stay." I hugged Thor tightly and turned to Loki. I slapped him, then kissed his cheek, "No matter what has happened, you're my best friend. I hope all goes well for both of you."

"And you (Y/n)," Thor smiled.

"Stay  _out_  of trouble alright? I'm not always going to be able to save you two."

Both of them rolled their eyes but nodded all the same. They twisted the handles over the Tesseract, and they were off.

I winced, looking down at my hands. When I had slapped Loki one of my cuts had reopened. A bit of purple blood was splotching on my white bandages. I knew the cuts would likely scar, the amount I used my hands after cutting them assured that, but I was fine with it. I had a few scars from past battles, but nothing that would show normally. Each scar was a mark that I was more than a princess who would stay on her planet and out of conflict.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I took it out, also putting a com in my ear.

_Meeting starting, go ahead and listen in_

Nick usually let me listen in on meetings like this, it was a show of trust. He did it at the beginning to show me that he wouldn't be making secret deals to send me to experimentation or anything. Now, it was a normal thing.

_"Where are the Avengers?"_

_"I'm not currently tracking their whereabouts. I'd say they've earned a leave of absence."_

"I'll see you guys later," I gave Nat and Clint hugs, "Clint, I'll be sure to find a present for Lila's birthday."

"Laura would love to see you again, good luck, now that you're out in the open or anything."

"You'll do great," Nat nudged Clint, "And having Cap by your side must be great."

"Yes, we trust each other," I smiled, "Goodbye."

_"And the Tesseract?"_

_"The Tesseract is where it belongs, out of our reach. Miss Altovar makes a fair point when she says things not of this world shouldn't be experimented on."_

I walked with Steve towards his Harley bike. Both of us would be taking it to a Quinjet that would take us back to D.C. Somehow, we lived quite near each other. As he started it up I wrapped my arms around his middle.

_"Yes, what are you going to do with Agent Altovar? Surely someone with her abilities, and now her armada and status, wouldn't be left unsupervised."_

My arms tensed around Steve. He sent me a look over his shoulder. I smiled reassuringly, and he looked back at the road.

_"Agent Altovar has proven time and time again that she is here to protect and fight for us. She deserves the same rights the rest of us have."_

_"That's not your call. With both the Tesseract and Ms Altovar."_

_"Maybe you should call her Princess from now on,"_ I smiled at Fury's snarkiness,  _"And I didn't make that call. I just didn't argue with the people that did."_

"How are your hands?" Steve asked over the sounds of traffic and wind.

"Healing," I assured, "A small price to pay for New York's safety."

_"I don't think you understand what you've started. Letting the Avengers loose on this world. They're dangerous."_

_"They surely are. And the whole world knows it. Every world knows it."_

_"And how does it work now? They've gone their separate ways, some pretty far. We get into a situation like this again, what happens?"_

"So what do we do now?" Steve asked, "It feels silly to not acknowledge each other when we live in the same city."

"You teach me about your time, your planet, and I'll teach you about mine."

_"They'll come back."_

_"How can you be so sure?"_

Steve chuckled at my offer, but accepted all the same. I grinned, my cheeks flushing a dark violet. I leaned forwards a bit more, tightening my hold.

_"Because we'll need them to."_

 


	7. Moments of Peace

 

"So women back then really weren't accepted wearing pants?" I took a small sip of my drink, flinching slightly when my elbow landed on the table. That would have been a poke in the arm from a fork on my planet.

"Some women insisted on wearing pants, to change the times, but everything was different back then. I'm glad women can do what they do now though, with my mom and Peggy...They showed me that most of the time women are more capable than men."

"You are Atreya's saving grace," I smiled, "On my planet, I was expected to wear formal clothing often. I had leeway, when it came to dresses and pants, but dresses were always more convenient. Pants were saved for training."

"That makes sense," Steve set a few dollar bills down on the table as a tip for our waitress, "And your planet didn't have any wars? No arguments, nothing?"

"When our planet first came to be, there were tribes, villages. They battled for years, killing the majority of the people. One of my ancestors got a vision from Atreya, our version of your God. She told them that fighting was not the answer, that all it did was lead to pain. My ancestor brought together all of the villages and we followed Atreya's words. From that point on, we didn't fight, because it does just cause pain."

I sat behind Steve on his bike as he kickstarted it.

"I agree with that. But why learn to fight, and go to Asgard then Earth to fight when you could stay safe on your planet?"

"I'm not sure," I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around Steve's middle, "My true calling was bringing peace, knowing how to fight was a big part of that for me."

It was silent the rest of the ride back to my apartment. It was usually like that. We had been meeting once a week for lunch ever since the Battle of New York. It was nice, keeping tabs on each other and having something to look forward to. I sometimes met with Nat and Clint, but it was a bit of a chore for Clint to travel from the farm house, and Nat was usually busy with missions.

"Thank you for dropping me off Steve. I have yet to get a Midhardian vehicle- car. I have yet to get a car." I flushed in embarrassment.

Steve gave a dashing smile, "It's alright. Even if you've been on Earth longer, both of us have some things to learn."

"Yes, I look forward to working through more of your list with you."

I waved to Steve as he drove off on his bike. Still feeling the dark blush on my cheeks I double tucked my hair behind my ears.

I quite liked Steve. Our mannerisms matched well and he made me feel like I belonged, even if I was an alien princess.

I flushed even darker when I thought about dating. I had never dated before. I never had the chance. But now, on Earth, with a man I could see myself having a future with...

I unlocked my apartment and walked past the threshold. It was exactly as I left it, neat, as all royal homes should be.

I grabbed some good from my kitchen, sitting down on my couch so I could watch television. Most of the news stations were still covering the Battle of New York, specifically the clean up and where the Avengers were now.

"They're relaxing," I muttered, leaning back on the couch.

_Ring...Ring... Ri-_

I grabbed my phone from the coffee table in front of me. Fury's name was lit up on the screen.

"Please tell me I don't have a mission," I pleaded.

_"You're going to like this one Agent Altovar, you're going to be moving soon."_

"Moving where, exactly?"

_"An apartment has opened up across from Steve Rogers. Both of you have targets on your backs, and he doesn't know this. He can't know this. You moved into the apartment across from his because yours had a gas leak and this was the closest one to the original place. The two of you being closer together will be safer. We'll place another agent in the building as well. Don't you remember what I told you?"_

"He'll trust me over anyone else," I repeated, "What if I refuse, to move, that is?"

_"I'll have you evicted, and make sure that the only available place is across from Rogers. I thought that you'd be happy. You and Rogers seem to be getting particularly close."_

"It's not like that, he still loves Peggy."

"Not a word to Rogers, these targets on your backs isn't something I think he'll handle as well as we hope. You however, have the uncanny ability to be able to blend into a crowd. One more thing agent, the only thing keeping Captain Rogers stuck on Peggy is the dance he couldn't give her. I expect to see you in that apartment by next week. Good luck."

Nick abruptly ended the call. I stared at my phone for a minute, letting out a huffed breath.

I guess I was moving.

~*~

I stared at myself in my new bathroom mirror, sighing quietly. I had moved onto my new apartment a few days ago.

Steve was surprised at first, but after I had explained that I had been looking for a new apartment, and really wanted to move in, he understood and seemed relieved to have someone he knew and trusted so close to him. I couldn't go through with the cover story that Fury gave me, not lying had been drilled into me since I was a child. Small lies were alright as long as they held seeds of the truth, I had figured that out when I was younger.

On top of moving, I was stuck on what Fury told me, about Steve and Peggy's last dance. Peggy Carter was bedridden in a care home, but my Peggy Carter wasn't.

Taking in one last deep breath, I shifted into Peggy, uniform and all. Organic clothes could be thanked for that. After a brief consideration, I shifted from the uniform into a dress fitting for the 40s, it was one of the styles I knew from the lessons Steve had been giving me.

"Steve...Rogers," I spoke slowly, trying to get the hand of Peggy's speech, "I am a strong woman who paved the way for equality. I am now residing in a care home, but I never got my last dance. Perfect."

I have myself one last lookover before I left my apartment. While out in the hallway, I spotted Sharon Carter exiting her apartment. We had trained together while both of us were trying to enter SHIELD. I was slightly shocked to see her, but not overall surprised.

"Do I wanna know why you look like my Aunt Peggy?"

"Probably not. Do I want to know why you're living in the same building as me and Steve?"

"For protection?" It came out as more of a question, "Let's just forget we saw each other."

"Understood."

Sharon retreated back into her apartment. I put my hand on the entrance door to Steve's apartment. The handle shook for a moment before it clicked, unlocking.

I walked as silently as possible towards Steve's bedroom. There were a few moments where my shoes clicked, and I tensed, fearing Steve would wake up, but  there was no indication.

As I was passing through, I noticed a record player. I looked through his selection, not recognizing any of them. Because of my planets limited knowledge on Earth, I didn't know much of what happened from the late 1920s to modern age. I was only taught what was needed to be an agent.

I settled on La vie en rose by Edith Piaf. It seemed romantic enough.

As soon as the first note came through I hurried to Steve's room. His eyes were blinking open. When he processed what was happening he shot up and out of bed, facing me with his fists raised.

"Steve," I greeted casually, "I see the army hasn't been kicked out of you yet."

"Wha- Peggy? I must be dreaming."

"Consider this a lucid dream," I smiled gently, "I've come to talk to you, while I could. Although I suppose your mind brought me here to talk about some things."

"Yeah, I guess I have been wanting to see you again."

"Come, let's dance, you can tell me what's eating you alive then."

Steve stepped forward and placed his hands on my waist. I wrapped my arms around his neck. We didn't start anything complicated, we just swayed."

"I've waited seventy years for our dance," I sighed, "But I feel as though your heart isn't in it."

It was true. There was a hesitation in his movements that confused me.

"You were the first person I ever loved Peg," my heart clenched a little hearing that, "But there's this gal. She reminds me of you, but she's different at the same time. I feel connected to her. In a way I didn't think I would feel again."

"Steve," I stopped my movements, "How long have you been out of the ice? A year? Two? It's okay for you to move on. You've been given a second chance."

"Thank you Peggy."

"Of course Rogers," I kissed Steve's cheek, "Now, back to bed."

"Yes ma'am."

I turned to leave the room, pausing at the doorway, "Steve...I loved you too."

With that I left, being sure to remove the record from the record player and put it back where it belonged.

I left the apartment in a hurry, returning to my own. I kicked the hells of at the door, shifting from a uniformed Peggy Carter to myself in pajamas. I collapsed onto my bed, curling up in the blankets and drifting off."

~*~

The next morning I jerked awake to the sound of loud knocking on my door. I looked over at the clock on my nightstand.I groaned, it was 7 in the morning. My body had moved away from early start times, and as a SHIELD agent, I was usually jetlagged.

I hurried out of bed and to my door. After I opened it I rubbed my eyes.

"(Y/n)," it was Steve. He usually went for runs in the morning so it made sense that he was up.

"What's up?" I questioned, wincing at my informality. It always seemed off to me.

"I was wondering if you'd want to go out with me. Outside of having lunch, that is."

"Like a date?" A smile stretched across my face.

"Yes, it doesn't have to be of course," Steve rushed to reassure me, "I was just thinking that there was-"

"A connection?" I repeated his words from last night, "Yeah I was sensing that too. But I thought that you would stay on Peggy."

"This might sound crazy, but I had this dream that Peggy came to me, and we danced. So I fulfilled my promise, and she told me that it was okay to move on. So, um, here I am."

"I'd love to go out with you Steve."

Mission accomplished.

~*~

I let out a slow sigh, brushing all of the ruffles out of the dress I was wearing. Steve didn't really specify where we were going, so I went with formal-casual. There was a strange middle there.

I heard a knock at my door and rushed to answer it. Steve was waiting there, with a bouquet of flowers. He was dressed in a button up, going formal-casual as well.

"Thank you," I took the flowers from his hands, motioning for him to come in while I put them in a vase, "So are you going to tell me where we're going?"

"The museum," Steve stated, "I thought it would be a good way to catch up for both of us."

"That is a good idea," I set the flowers on my counter, "I should probably go in human form, shouldn't I?"

"If you don't want to get swarmed," Steve smiled slightly.

I nodded, following him out of my apartment. His bike was in its usual parking spot. I got on behind him, holding on tightly.

The ride to the museum was relatively quick, the later time probably helped with that. Steve insisted that he paid for my admittance, and we were set.

The first few exhibits were from times that both of us were already knowledgeable of. But as we moved on, we encountered exhibits of things we didn't know about prior. We spent a few hours in those, marvelling over the history held in each section and laughing over how different Steve's time was, and how different my world was.

When we were nearing the end of the 70s, I noticed an exhibit we had walked past earlier.

"Steve, look," I pointed out the exhibit, "They have one on you."

Steve's eyes widened and he seemed hesitant to move towards the area. I reached down and grabbed his comparatively large hand. He glanced down at me, smiling slightly.

Together, we walked into the exhibit.

An automated voice began to speak, most likely run by a motion sensor somewhere in the floor, "A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world. The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery and sacrifice. Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier."

I looked up at the large display case that held Steve's first uniform, and the uniforms of his former squad. His eyes became clouded, as he went back in time to the 40s. I turned my head, and spotted a small video of Steve laughing with another man.

"Who's that?" I asked quietly, pulling him out of his haze.

"Bucky," Steve mumbled, walking towards the screen, "We were best friends. He um, he died on a mission."

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I really was. Steve deserved more than photographs in a museum. I looked at the video closer. There was something about the man that brought about a spark of recognition within me, "What color eyes did he have?"

"Blue. Why?"

I looked at the photo for a few more seconds before I looked back at Steve, "He looks a bit familiar, perhaps I saw someone like him before."

"Yeah," Steve blinked, looking away as well, "Why don't we move on?"

"Alright."

Hand and hand we moved on. Steve pointed on that they were making an Avengers exhibit. The sign explained that they had a few things, and were adding more on Sundays when they were closed.

Closer to the entrance/exit was a newly forming exhibit about the Avengers. The sign explained that it was a work in progress, so they were still adding more.

They had a smaller section for steve, which made sense because he had his own exhibit. The largest exhibit section at the moment was Tony's. Bruce's was a close second. His exhibit included videos of him as the Hulk and his scientific achievements. Clint's had some of his discarded arrows, and Nat's only had a picture. She was good at hiding information.

My area was a but more of a middle ground. There was a few accounts from citizens that were on the bus, a video here and there, but what really interested me was the information they had.

"SHIELD put out a statement soon after the Battle of New York," a female voice spoke, motion activated, "Explaining (Y/n) Altovar's situation."

Fury appeared on the screen, "Princess (Y/n) Altovar came to Earth to bring peace. Her planet is one we can learn from. Miss Altovar has extraordinary abilities. Ones that we monitor. She is a hero, and a friend, with no ill will. Thank you for your time."

The female voice came back on, "Director of SHIELD, Nick Fury, referred to (Y/n) Altovar as 'Princess', this has led many to believe that her planet is a monarchy, and she is a member of the royal family."

"You deserve to feel safe here," Steve assured me.

"I do feel safe," I nodded, "Especially with you. I know we'll continue fighting together."

Wit that we left the museum. The sun had disappeared beneath the horizon and the moon was shining proudly in the sky.

The ride back to our building was silent, but it wasn't awkward. Both of us were reflecting on the date, and simply enjoying each other's company.

When we reached the building, Steve parked in his normal spot. Our small talk started up again. We touched on all the amazing things we saw and what we thought of the exhibits on us.

"I had fun tonight Steve, thank you."

"Yeah," Steve ran a hand through his windblown hair, "Would you want to do this again?"

"I would," I rose to my tiptoes, kissing Steve's cheek gently. As I pulled away my human form fell away, revealing my true form, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I unlocked my apartment and stepped inside, sending one last look to Steve before I closed the door. Once inside, I grinned, leaning against the door.

"Atreya, I'm glad I came to Earth," I whispered.

I had said this many times before, but there was a new finality in my voice. I really did mean it.

 


	8. Project Insight

"Get in loser we're going shopping," Nat pulled up to the coffee shop I was currently enjoying breakfast at.

I rolled my eyes at the reference- one that I actually understood- and tipped the waitress that had saved me. I had paid up front so there was no issue with that.   
After I got in the car Nat turned to me.

"We got a mission."

"That's what I figured since you came all the way to DC," I chuckled.

"We need Steve too. Call your boyfriend, will you?"

I ignored what she called Steve, pulling out my phone and texting him a warning about the mission and that we were coming to pick him up.

"He's probably by the Washington Monument," I told Nat, "He goes for morning runs there."

Nat began to drive there per my direction. We arrived a few short minutes later. There, Steve was talking to a man, seeming quite happy while doing so.

"Hey, fellas. Either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil," Nat rolled down her window, calling outside.

"That hilarious," Steve said sarcastically, getting in behind me, "Can't run everywhere."

"No, you can't," the man replied.

We took off into traffic. I turned back to Steve with a grin.

"Did you make a friend?"

Steve nodded silently in response, a small smile on his face.

~*~

I stood in between Steve and Nat on the quinjet, watching intently as we were given the plans for our mission.

"The target is a mobile satellite launch platform: The Lemurian Star. They were sending up their last payload when pirates took them, 93 minutes ago," Rumlow explained.

"Any demands?"

"A billion and a half."

"Why so much?" I asked.

"Because it's SHIELD's."

"So it's not off-course, it's trespassing,"   
Steve sighed in frustration, I'm getting tired of Fury's janitor."

"Janitor?" I looked at Steve in confusion.   
He gave me a face that old me he would explain what that was later.

"There are twenty-five top mercs, led by this guy. George Batroc. Ex-DGSE, Action Division. He's at the top of Interpol's Red Notice. Before the French demobilized him, he had thirty-six kill missions. This guy's got a rep for maximum casualties. Mostly techs as hostages and one officer, Jasper Sitwell."

Steve gave out the orders and all of us began to gear up for the jump and landing. I was standing off to the side, going over the extra things I had stored in my suit when I overheard Nat and Steve talking.

"Doing anything fun this Saturday night?"

"Well all the guys from my barbershop quartet are dead, so, no."

"If you ask (Y/n) out she'd probably say yes," Nat sang. I snorted, quite unladylike. He had already 'asked me out' however. Nat, the highly trained assassin, couldn't seem to figure out that Steve and I were already dating when we weren't actively trying to hide it.

"Already did!" Steve announced before jumping out of the quinjet.

Nat turned to me, wide eyed and grinning, "He asked you out?"

"He asked me out nearly a year ago. How have you not put that together?" I laughed, walking to the edge of the platform so I could jump off as well.

"I'm sorry, but this is the first time I've seen you in five months, and all the other times before that were reactions too," Nat defended herself, "What's it like?"

"We're on a mission, let's focus on that," I prompted. I jumped from the edge of the platform, with no parachute. Steve and I tended to agree on less conventional methods during missions.

I could see Steve in the air just ahead of me. Bracing myself for the impact on the water, I closed my eyes tightly. Breaking the surface felt like getting hit with thousands of ice cold needles. After gaining a sense of direction I rapidly swam upwards.

Taking in a large breath of air when I breached the surface, I boosted myself up onto the ship, landing silently on the deck.

It was easy to see Steve fighting against the above-deck guards. I snuck over and struck one in the throat, kicking the back of his knee and striking his head so he would fall unconscious. I knocked my fists together, summoning the twin discs I so often used. Running towards a pair of guards, I struck at them mercilessly until they were on the edge. Then, I kicked them in the chest, turning away as they fell off of the boat.

There came a point when five men were surrounding us. I jumped on one, flipping him over my shoulder. Steve knocked out two more. The last two came up behind us, guns raised. I noticed the rest of the team dropping down with parachutes, they quickly fired and killed the two against us.

"Thanks," Steve thanked, panting.

"Yeah. You seemed pretty helpless without us," Rumlow said sarcastically.

As Steve and I continued our walk, Nat jogged to catch up with us.

"Seriously, how is this relationship going?" She questioned, her interrogator tone on.

"Secure the engine room, then ask about our relationship," Steve ordered.

"I'm multitasking," Nat smirked innocently before jumping down onto the next deck.

"She's not going to leave us alone now," I sighed, shifting into one of the pirates we had taken out.

"I'm surprised she hasn't found out already," Steve chuckled in response.

We ran and jumped up top. Steve threw a small droid at the hull. We rolled and ducked behind a wall, listening to the conversation taking place inside.

"Nat, status," I whispered into the com.

"Hang on," There were a few obvious hits and definite knock outs before Nat came back on the line, "Engine room secure."

"On my mark. Three, two, one."

Steve ran around the wall and past the room leading to the hull. He aimed and threw his shield through the window. The shrill sound of shattering glass was sure to alert anyone who didn't already know what was going on.

I waved my hand upwards, giving Steve the boost he needed to go up a level. Once he was secure, I followed after him.

"Go assist Nat, I'll find Batroc," I said upon noticing the unconscious guard with no Batroc.

Steve ran the opposite direction I was going. I walked cautiously across the deck, trying not to draw suspicion to myself as I was in my guard form.

"You, come with me," Batroc ordered me in French.

I nodded, following after him. After walking a small ways I ran towards him, jumping onto his back and flipping him over. Batroc recovered quickly, standing back up and running for me. He was a trained mercenary alright. I blocked a few punches and kicks, moving my hands apart from each other, making a sort of whip. I sent it towards Batroc, hitting him twice in the shoulder.

"I thought you were more than an alien with magic."

I dropped my hands, the whip disappearing. Due to my split concentration, my guard form had fallen as well.

"We'll have to find out. Won't we?"

Batroc ran towards me. I jumped up, kicking him in the stomach. He hunched over slightly, giving me the leverage I needed to jump and wrap my legs around his neck. He ran backwards until he hit a door. I shifted my weight, sending him into the door and unconscious.

I looked through the open door. Nat and Steve just so happened to be arguing in the room. I stepped over Batroc's unconscious body inside. The two turned to look at me, both flustered. It seemed as though they were tempted to bring me into their argument.

"Well this is awkward," I mumbled.

A small  _thunk_  sounded through the room. A small tap on my feet told me all I needed to know about what the object was. I swiftly kicked it away from me, running towards Steve and Nat. Steve wrapped his arms around the both of us, jumping through an office window into a small room.

I groaned on impact, sitting up and leaning against the wall. Broken glass was scattered around us, small fires dominating the room outside.

"That one's on me," Nat sighed.

"You're damn right," Steve replied shortly.

He helped me up and grabbed my hand, pulling me out with him. He didn't say another word to Nat.

~*~

"The last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye. Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything," Fury claimed as I entered his office silently.

"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own."

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills the secrets when nobody knows all of them."

"Except you," Steve snapped.

"You're wrong about me. I do share. Agent Altovar, come with us."

Steve turned to me, his brows furrowed in both frustration and confusion. I smiled reassuringly as Fury led us to the nearest elevator.

Steve took my hand automatically. He knew of my hesitance in elevators, due to my insistence to walk up the stairs after every date.

"Project Insight," Fury ordered.

"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight."

"Director override, Fury, Nicholas J."

The elevator shook gently, and began to descend. The silence was thick and heavy. Everyone was feeling something different.

"You know, they used to play music," Steve commented, most likely trying to break said silence.

"My grandpa used to work one for forty years," Fury stated, "Got good tips. Went home everyday with a roll of ones in his lunch bag. He passed by people. He'd say 'Hi' people would say hi back. Time went on, neighborhood got rougher. He'd say 'Hi', they'd say, 'Keep on steppin'. Granddad got to gripping that lunch bag a little tighter."

"Did he ever get mugged?"

"Every week some punk would say, 'What's in the bag?' He'd show them. Bunch of crumpled ones, and a loaded 22 Magnum. Granddad loved people. But he didn't trust them very much."

The elevator jolted to a stop. The doors dinged and opened up. I looked at the weapons and technology in front of us boredly. I had been there to help design them. Other planets had more advanced technology, and I helped Earth catch up a little more.

"Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a 22," Fury shrugged. He showed Steve around pointing out different areas of interest, "This is Project Insight. Three next generation Helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites. Alien tech is inside each and every one of them. Agent Altovar helped us out with that. No one is going to be hacking it but her, Thor, and myself. The only few that know how to work the stuff. Once they go into the air they never need to come down. Thanks to our new repulsor engines."

"Stark?"

"He had a few suggestions once he got an up close look at our old turbines. These new long range precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he steps outside his spider hole. We gonna neutralize a lot of threats before they even happen."

"I thought the punishment usually came after the crime."

"We can't afford to wait that long."

"Who's 'we'?" Steve crossed his arms.

"The same people that want to send me off to some experimentation sight," I crossed my arms as well, modelling Steve, "Over all my time of going against my planets customs, I've learned you have to work with what you have."

Steve's eyes darkened, his jaw clenching. The idea of me having to work with the very people I was afraid of obviously infuriated him.

"After New York, I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis," Fury began to explain, "For once we're way ahead of the curve."

"By holding a gun at everyone on Earth and calling it protection," Steve frowned.

"You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff."

"Yeah, we compromised. Sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well. But we did it so the people could be free. This isn't freedom, this is fear."

"SHIELD takes the world, the universe, as it is, not as we'd like to to be. It's getting damn near past time for you to get with that program, Cap."

Steve gripped my hand tightly, pulling both of us towards the elevator.

"Don't hold your breath."

 


	9. Secrets and Lies

 

"Why didn't you tell me about what you were working on?" Steve asked.

We were walking through the museum together. He had a jacket and a hat on, a classic sway to hide yourself in public I was told. I, on the other hand, had shifted into a random person I saw on the street.

"I thought you already knew about Project Insight," I shrugged, "I suppose I was wrong. Don't worry, if SHIELD decides to use it for something we don't agree with, I can shut it down. Unless they change the system, but, like Fury said, it's very difficult to do so."

We passed by a young boy, no older than twelve. His eyes sparkled with wonder as he stared up at Steve. He was short enough to see under the hat. My form flickered slightly, showing the boy who I was before I was back in my passerby state. Steve and I both put a finger to our lips to silence the child.

After continuing on, Steve had stopped at the small area dedicated to Bucky. Just like the first time we came he seemed familiar to me. I shook it off, taking a hold of Steve's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. He squeezed back.

Fury's orders flashed through my mind. He wanted me to get close to him, and perhaps he had accounted for the probability of us falling for each other.   
Knowing him, it was what he had planned from the beginning. 

~*~

"You should be proud of yourself, Peggy," Steve spoke quietly to Peggy, observing the photos she had on her bedside table.

Admittedly, upon hearing Steve's request for me to accompany him to see Peggy, I was more than hesitant. I knew of their past relationship, and I knew he came out of the ice still in love with her. It felt like he had just fallen asleep after all. But he assured me that it would have been better for him to come in with a girl on his arm.   
Peggy wouldn't tear him a new one then.

"I have lived a life, haven't I? My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours," Peggy's tired eyes travelled to me, "But you've been given a second chance."

Steve looked down at his hands, silent and somber.

"What is it?"

"For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right...I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same."

"You're always so dramatic," Peggy laughed weakly, "You saved the world. We rather mucked it up."

"You didn't. Knowing that you helped found SHIELD is half the reason I stay."

"The world has changed and none of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over," Peggy motioned to me before getting pulled into a coughing fit.   
Steve stood up, grabbing her water.

"Steve? You're alive! It's been so long. And you brought a girl. She's a looker. I knew you could find someone else."

"Yeah," Steve cleared his throat of the emotion that was building up, "It was great to see you Peg, you helped me a lot. (Y/n)?"

"Yeah," I followed after Steve. A weak hand grabbed my wrist.

"Take care of him," Peggy whispered, "Be patient. Be yourself. Steve went after you, and moved on from me. You're doing something right."

"It was lovely to meet you Peggy," I whispered to the woman, a kind smile gracing my features.

"Lovely to meet you too. Steve has his smile back."

~*~

"The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED."

"Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you."

Steve and I allowed all of the veterans to move past us as they cleared out of the room. Once all of them were gone, we approached Steve's new friend, Sam Wilson. It was interesting, even just hearing the end of the meeting. We didn't really have PTSD on my planet, the lack of wars didn't allow for it.

"Look who it is, the running man," Sam greeted kindly, "And (Y/n) Altovar. Your majesty."

"A pleasure," I bowed my head as a sign of respect.

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense," Steve stated.

"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret," Sam nodded.

"You lose someone?"

"My wingman, Riley. Flying a night mission.Standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, till RPG knocked Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch. After that, I had really hard time finding a reason for being over there, you know?"

"But you're happy now, being back in the world?"

"The number of people giving me orders is down to zero. So, hell yeah. You two thinking about getting out?"

"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did," Steve chuckled, lost in thought.

"Ultimate fighting? (Y/n) I'm sure you'd be popular at birthday parties. They're just great ideas off the top of my head. But seriously, both of you could do whatever you wanted to. What makes you happy?"

Steve and I shared a painstakingly loving look.

"I see. Get married then, live a normal life."

Steve and I both flushed red at the thought of getting married. Our relationship was only a bit less than a year old.

"Maybe someday Sam, but until then, we'll stay in it."

~*~

"Date night Saturday? We could do a Star Trek marathon and you can cross it off of our list."

"I love you, you know that right?" Steve questioned suddenly. I stopped, my foot hovering over the next step to our apartments.

"I love you too Steve, but why now? Of all times?"

"I just...Seeing Peggy. It made me realize that I can't lose you."

"Oh Steve," I whispered, pulling him into a tight hug, "You won't lose me, I swear to Atreya. Royalty doesn't break promises."

After our sweet moment, we finished walking up the stairway, reaching our apartment level. Sharon was there, in scrubs. It was strange, seeing her in something aside from a SHIELD uniform.

"Hey lovebirds," she greeted, basket of laundry on her hip, "I think you left your stereo on Steve."

"Oh, thank you," Steve said casually. After Sharon left we shared a concerned look.

"Window," I stated simply.

We went through my apartment onto the fire escape. From there, we went over the roof to Steve's side, finding a window leading into his apartment. Steve rolled inside, snatching up his shield from its resting place. I tapped my fists together, forming a pair of discs. We peeked around the corner, lowering out guards. Lo and behold, Nick Fury was resting in a loveseat in the corner of the apartment.

"I don't remember giving you a key," Steve crossed his arms.

"You really think I need one? My wife kicked me out."

"Didn't know you were married," I commented.

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," Fury shrugged.

"That's the problem," Steve flicked the lights on. Fury was really beat up, making me gasp. He held up his phone 'EARS EVERYWHERE'.

"I'm sorry to have to do this, but I had no place else to crash." 'SHIELD COMPROMISED'.

"Who else knows about your wife?"

"Just...my friends." 'JUST THE THREE OF US'.

"Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you-"

_Bang! Bang! Bang!_

Three gunshots, all clan through the wall and into vital parts of his body. I leapt forward, throwing up a shield to protect him from any further attempts on his life.   
I kept a tight grip on his wrist, pulling him off of the chair and into the kitchen.

"Oh nersh, oh nersh, oh nersh," I cursed repeatedly, searching for something that could help us.

"Don't trust anyone," Fury placed a flash drive in my hand. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his breathing slowed. He was out.

"Captain Rogers? Agent Altovar?"   
Sharon barged into the apartment, gun drawn.

"Kate?"

"Agent 13 of SHIELD Special Service. I was assigned to protect you."

"On whose order?"

"His," Sharon motioned to the unconscious Fury, "Altovar did put up a good fight though, the whole making her move thing was a fuss. Foxtrot is down, I need EMTs."

"Twenty on the shooter?"

A flash of silver caught Seve and my attention from a nearby rooftop. It was the shooter.

"Tell them I'm in pursuit," Steve ordered.

"Me too," I added.

A destructive rampage. It was the simplest way to describe the path Steve and I were on. Steve crashed through his apartment window onto the next rooftop.   
I struggled to keep up with his pace. Just because I was an alien didn't mean I was any faster than the average human. Well, scratch that, intense training did help quite a bit.

Steve reared his arm back and chucked his shield at the attacker. To our surprise, the man turned and caught it, throwing it back to Steve. I ran to the edge of the rooftop as he jumped, but he had disappeared.

"You told me you wanted to move," Steve panted, looking over to me.

"Is this the time for an argument?" I questioned, crossing my arms.

"Is everything a lie?" Steve asked rhetorically, turning to run back to his apartment.

My heart panged at the memory of turning into Peggy. The guilt was slowly growing. I had never really felt it before, not as strong as this. There was no need for me to feel guilty on my planet. I hated it.

~*~

"Is he gonna make it?" Nat walked up behind me and Steve.

Fury was currently in a private room for surgery. Several doctors were frantically trying to save his life, but the monitor told me it wasn't going very well.

"I don't know," Steve mumbled. I scowled in frustration. One awful thing after another. Steve had barely spoken to me on the way to the hospital on top of everything else. He was questioning our relationship in its entirety.

"Tell me about the shooter."

"Fast, strong. Had a metal arm."

A memory flashed through my mind. I blinked a few times, pinching the bridge of my nose. It was blurry, vague, as if I was drunk. But I couldn't get drunk off of Midgardian liquor, it was extremely weak compared to the Asgardian stuff I had started on.

_"Informație. Acum."_

_Vision going in and out, my sight wavered as I blinked slowly, looking up at the person who was speaking Romanian. Romanian. I had to learn it for a mission two years ago. A small flash of silver. Arm. Silver arm._

_"Nersh juh,"I slurred. That was entirely my language. What would make me speak my own language in front of someone?_

Thinking back, I didn't remember much of that mission. I remembered getting there, the beginning, getting the information I needed. There was something else, one final piece. A flashdrive maybe Someone I had to talk to! That was it. A party, there was a drink-

_Beeeeeeeep_

"Time of death. One oh three A-M."

~*~

Was Fury really dead? My eyes didn't seem to be deceiving me. Nat had pulled me into the viewing room soon after the doctor called it I was too messed up from whatever episode I was having.

I looked over to Nat. She was crying. I had only seen her cry twice before. Once was after a particularly bad mission the two of us were assigned to, a lot of casualties. The second was when she randomly appeared at my apartment. I didn't really ask questions then. I didn't have to, she told me herself that she was having nightmares about her past.  
"Nat?"

As soon as I said her name she turned and left the room. Steve and I instinctively followed after her.

"Why was he in your apartment?" She questioned, stopping inside of an empty room.

"I don't know," Steve lied.

"Captain, Agent Altovar, they want you back at SHIELD."

"Give us a minute."

"They want you two now."

"You're a terrible liar," Nat scoffed. She glanced over to me, "What about you, huh? Princesses aren't supposed to lie, are they?"

I stayed silent, my lip quivering in guilt. Nat chuckled, hurt. "You've been away from your throne for too long."

Nat stepped in between us and left. Nat's departure drew my attention to the vending machine just outside of the room.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" I glanced over to Steve.

"Hard to tell."

I huffed in frustration. Fishing the drive out of my pocket, I waved my hand, sending the small device into the machine behind the Hubba Bubba bubblegum.

After that, Steve and I jogged to catch up with Rumlow. He insisted that someone drive us to headquarters, but Steve and I were against it. We needed to be alone at some point to work out what we were going through. Eventually he gave in. A car would be in front of and behind us instead.

Once we were inside the SHIELD provided car, I tapped my fingers against the steering wheel, waiting for our first escort car to pull out. My eyes kept flicking over to Steve, yearning for him to say something, anything, to break the silence.

"Explain everything," Steve had his Captain America voice on, telling me how serious our problem was.

"When you were brought to the helicarrier before New York, Fury told me to gain your trust, get close. We were both newer to this world than anyone else, I could use that. I talked to you as much as I did back then because of that, but I really didn't plan on starting to get feelings for you."

The car in front of us pulled out. I pressed on the gas, following after out onto the street. When I glanced up in the mirror, I saw the SHIELD car behind us as well.

"After New York, Fury ordered me to move in next to you. Both of us have targets on our backs, and it would be easier for us to protect ourselves, and for him to keep an eye on us, if we were close."

My words got caught in my throat when I thought about bringing up what happened with Peggy. I couldn't do that. Not now. Not when one of my closest friends has just passed away. Not when I felt like my relationship was falling to shambles.

"When you asked me out...I thought about saying no," I admitted, "I couldn't see myself having a relationship. Not when I was hiding myself from the world. Not when I was so focused on helping the world. But I said yes. And, I've had the best year of my life. There are things I've lied about, but being in love with you isn't one of them."

Steve sighed, his fingers running through his hair as we entered the Triskelion's parking lot. The car in front of us parked, and I did the same next to them. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, turning to look at Steve.

"I love you," Steve mumbled, "But SHIELD is making this relationship really difficult."

"After all this, do you wanna get out? Stay with the Avengers, but...Get away from all of the lies, and secrecy?"

"I do," Steve nodded, "I don't want this to happen again."

Rumlow tapped on the window, scaring both of us. As I was stepping out of the car I shifted into my uniform. Steve was going to change as soon as we got inside.   
With a team surrounding us, we walked up to the building. Someone handing Steve a case with his uniform and he stepped away to change.

With everything that had been going on, I was on high alert. My eyes flitted from person to person. Did they know what was going on? Were they in on it? I didn't know, and it was killing me.

"Let's go," Steve stepped out of the bathroom.

The Strike team finally stepped away from us. They had their own business to attend to. Together, Steve and I took the elevator up to Alexander Pierce's office. I had only met him once in my time at SHIELD, and there was something really offsetting about him.

"Captain Rogers, Agent Altovar," Sharon nodded to us, leaving Pierce's office herself.

"Neighbor," Steve said simply.

"Ah, yes. Captain, I'm Alexander Pierce," Pierce held out his hand for Steve to shake.

"Sir, it's an honor."

"The honor is mine, Captain. My father served in the 101st," Steve curiously picked up an old photo of Pierce and Fury, "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met. I was at State Department in Bogota, people stormed the ELN Embassy there. Security got me out, but they took hostages. Nick came to me with a plan, go up through the sewers. I said negotiate. Turns out the ELN didn't negotiate. They put out a kill order, stormed the embassy. They found the basement empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and had sent in the team anyway, saving at least a dozen political officers. Including my daughter."

"So you gave him a promotion."

"I've never had any cause to regret it. Why was Nick in your apartment last night?"

"We don't know," I feigned confusion.

"You know it was bugged?"

"Yeah, Nick told us."

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?" Both of us stayed silent, "Let me show you something."

Pierce pulled up a video of Batroc being interrogated.

"Is this live?" Steve questioned.

"They picked him up last night in a not so safe house in Algiers. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star. He was contacted through email and wired the money, and the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts. One by the name Jonathan Veech. He died six years ago. He used to live on 1437 Watercrest Drive. When I first met Nick, his mother lived on 1436."

"Are you saying he ordered the attack on the ship?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Prevailing theory is that the hijacking was a cover for the sale of intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death."

"If you really knew Nick Fury you would know that's not true." Steve said surely.

"Why do you think we're talking? I took a seat on the council because Nick asked me to. We knew that despite everything to build a better world means having to tear the old one down. Those people that call you dirty because you have the guts to stick your hands in there to build something better.

"And the idea that those people could be happy today makes me really, really, angry. You two were the last to see Nick alive and I don't think that's an accident. I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask again. Why was he there?"

"He told us not to trust anyone." I mumbled.

"I wonder, if that included him," Pierce stated.

"I'm sorry, those were his last words, excuse us," I tugged on Steve's arm to pull him out.

"Agents, somebody murdered my friend and I want to know why. If anyone gets in my way they're gonna regret it. Anyone."

"Understood."

 


	10. Invisible Parasite

 

"Operations control."

The elevator beeped in recognition. Steve and I were extremely tense after what had just happened with Pierce. His rough hand found mine, entwining our fingers together. I sighed in relief. I was scared to initiate anything, even if we did talk through our argument.

Just as the doors were about to close, Rumlow and two other agents stepped inside.

"Forensics."

_"Confirmed."_

"Cap, Altovar," Rumlow nodded, acknowledging our presence, "Evidence Response found some fibres on the roof they want us to see. You want me to get the tac-team ready?"

"No, let's wait and see what it is first," Steve said casually, as if everything was okay.

I tapped my thumb on his hand a few times, pulling him down so his ear was right next to my mouth.

"Twitchy, hands on guns, theyre going to kill us," my voice was nearly inaudible, "Chuckle when I pull away."

I moved away from Steve a bit, smiling as he chuckled like I said something funny. Rumlow and the other two agents glanced at us, but didn't seem suspicious.

"I'm sorry about what happened with Fury. Messed up, what happened to him," Rumlow turned to us.

I bit the inside of my cheek, holding back my snarky comment. It was a normal royal technique. To hold back saying something you shouldn't, you bite your cheek.

"Thank you," Steve smiled slightly.

The elevator opened once again and a few more agents entered. At the point, Steve and I were entirely surrounded, in the center of everyone. After a shared look, I spoke up.

"Before we start, would anyone like to leave?"

The elevator became deadly silent. That was it, the breaking point. The man closest to the door threw his hand out. An electrified baton charged up. I jumpd backwards, slamming the man behind me into the glass. I kicked one of the men next to me behind his knees, causing him to fall. Someone gripped my sides and pulled me back. I swung my head into their face. Their head hit the glass of the elvator, cracking it. The last man that was focused on me found himself getting flipped into the glass, cracking it once again.

Sweat dropped down my temple, I tiredly lifted my hand to wipe it away. The only sounds in the elevator were Steve and I's panting. Steve turned off the emergency stop, only to see a SWAT team waiting for us. Steve swung and broke the elevator cord, dropping us down.

"Wurn, this is why I hate elevators," I cried out, gripping the rail. Even when the brakes kicked in, and stopped us in between floors, I kept my tight grip, "We need to jump. I can catch us. I think."

"You think?" Steve sighed in frustration, wrapping his arm around my waist all the same.

Our bodies slammed into the already cracked elevator window, completely shattering it. Wind whistled in my ears. It was actually quite nice, freefaling that is. When we neared the ground I threw my hands out, a bright shield forming under our bodies.

Because I was still a bit new to using shields to levitate, it broke soon after we landed on it. Both of us slammed into the ground. After taking only a few seconds to deal with our pain, we stood up and began to run.

From a long line of motorcycles in the garage, we grabbed two. The doors on the garage were rapidly closing in front of us, making our window of escape drastically smaller. I leaned to the side, twisting the handlebars. The bike tilted to the side, allowing me under the door. Steve followed my lead, making it through as well.

"We need to call Nat!" I yelled over the engines, "We can trust her! I know we can!"

A quinjet swooped down in front of us. Its guns were raised. The bridge started to close as well.

"Stand down, agents!"

We ignored the command, swerving our bikes to dodge the bullets soming our way. Steve threw his shield and hit the ship, knocking it off course. He stood on his bike, jumping onto the ship to take care of it entirely. I increased the speed on my bike, using the closing bridge as a ramp to get over and onto the other side.

"We need that hardrive," I braked in front of Steve as he jumped off of the quinjet, "Get on."

~*~

The peace and quiet of the hospital was suffocating to me. What with everything that had been going on, moments of silence felt wrong and put me on edge. I had shifted out of my uniform and into a normal civilian. Steve was back in a hoodie and jeans.

The first thing we noticed was that all of the Hubba Bubba bubblegum was gone. All of it. Even what was hiding behind it.   
Red hair popped up in the reflection of the glass. Nat. Bright pink bubblegum formed a bubble in her mouth.

"Where is it?" Steve asked urgently.

"Safe," Nat assured casually.

"Do better," Steve snapped, panic evident on his features.

"Fury gave it to you. Why?"

"What on it?" I questioned, joining in the interogation like banter.

"I don't know."

"Stop lying," Steve nearly begged.

"I ony act like I know everything Rogers," Nat scoffed.

"Did you know Fury was the one who hired the pirates?"

"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty-"

"Nat," I interupted, I crossed my arms, half our of anger, half because the hospital was colder than I thought it would be, "Please, just tell us what you know."

"I know who killed Fury. Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists. The ones who do call him the Winter Soldier."

Drums began to go off in my head, beating against my skull. I scrunched my brows together, taking a step away from Nat and Steve so I could breath for a moment.

_"What language do you speak?"_

_It was the same voice that was speaking Romanian, this time in English. My vision flashed over the person. He was wearing a tux. The metal hand, that's what I saw last time._

_"Name one. It won't change anything." I tugged at my hands, I was restrained, "I still...I still have enough sense to get out of...To get out of here."_   
_"You don't need to die, just tell me what I need to know."_

_I looked up into his eyes. Bright blue eys. They were nice. But there was something behind them. A crease between his brows, lines in the outer corners. I couldn't really put together what was going on. But those eyes...He didn't seem like a badguy._

"(Y/n), you okay?" Steve's strong hand landed on my shoudler. The gentle force of it shook me out of my head.

"Yeah," I let out a shak breath, "My head just hurts. What's the plan?"

"We need to go to the mall, and see what's on this drive," Nat held up the drive, "You up to it?"

"There's nowhere else I can go," I chuckled, though there was no humor to it, "Let's take down SHIELD, yeah?"

~*~

Pretzels and air fresheners wafted through the air and into my nose. Nat and I were entirely casual, walking next to each other and chatting about random fake things. Steve on the other hand, kept on looking side to side.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run. Walk," Nat turned around the advise Steve.

"If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off," Steve grumbled.

We entered the nearest computer store, plugging in the hardrive so Nat could get started hacking into it. I looped my arm through Steve's, twirling a piece of hair around my pointer finger with my free hand.

"The drive has a Level Six homing program, so as soon as we boot up SHIELD will know exactly where we are. (Y/n), you know the drill."

"The last timme we did this was with Clint in Budapest," I giggled, remebering back to the comdeic mission.

"What happened in Budapest?" Steve began to panic, "What's the drill?"

"Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI, it keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands. Maybe if we can't read the file, we can figure out where it came from."

"Can I help you guys with anything?" An employee approached us, smiling kindly.

"Oh no," I leaned in as if sharing a secret, "We're just looking for a few  _vacation_  spots."

The employee noded silently, before remebering he had to be polite, "Where are you guys thinking about going?"

I glanced at the computer screen, "New Jersey!"

"Great. If you guys need anything, I'm Aaron."

After the employee walked away, Steve looked at the screen again, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

"You know the place?"

"I used to. Let's go."

The three of us left the store. Our nine minutes were up. Two in front, two behind, and two across from us. We picked up our pace, trying to make it seem like a natural thing.

"Steve and Nat, put your arms around me and laugh." The two immediately did as I said, "Great. Steve, you're catching on."

"You seriously did this with Nat and Clint?" Steve questioned as we stepped onto an escalator.

"You two need to kiss," Nat ordered.

"What?"

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable. Besides, you two are dating and I want to see some action."

"They do make people uncomfrtable," Steve hissed.

I rolled my eyes, pulling Steve in for a long kiss as we passed the men going up. They averted their eyesight like we had the plague, completely missing the fact that we were their targets. I pulled away soon after, stepping off of the escalator.

"Thank you, both of you, for that beautiful moment," Nat wrapped her arms around both of us.

When we made it to the parking lot we hijacked the closest vehicle we could find, a truck. The drive to New Jersey was going to be a long one, giving us a chance to sleep in shifts.

"How long have you two been together?" Nat asked randomly.

"Eleven months six days and nine hours," I recited, shrugging under their stares, "Princesses need to be good with time."

"And you two didn't think to tell anyone?"

"Who is there to tell?" Steve questioned, "There hasn't exactly been a need for the Avengers lately."

"Yeah, but still," Nat sighed, "You could have called."

After another few hours, and three chances to take a small nap, we pulled up to the original location of the file. It was then I knew why Steve remebered it. It was where he was traine. Where he went from Steve Rogers to Captain America.

We easily climbed up and over the fence. Nat pulled out a scanner and moved it around to look for the signature that would tell us where the file was made.

"This is a dead end," Nat claimed.

Steve looked over to a certain building, "Army regulations forbid storing ammunition within five hundred yards of the barracks. This building is in the wrong place."

Steve slammed his shield down on the latch, easily snapping it. The door swung open with a loud creak, alarming all of us.

"This is SHIELD," I stated, looking around. We walked through another door, into what seemed to be an archive.

"There's Howard Stark," I pointed at a black and white photo hanging on the wall, "And Peggy."

We continued walking until Steve stopped, opening a secret door that was hidden behind a cabinet. Nat scanned the code input and typed in the correct one.   
We walked down yet another secret floor.

Everything there was old computers and monitors. It was probably the best of the best back when the area was made. However, upon closer inspection of the min desk, there was a new piece of technology there.

"Nat, give me the drive," I held my hand out. Once I placed the file in the modern insert everything lit up. The computer asked me if I wanted to start the system. I typed in yes.

A pixilated face formed on the screen. Every few seconds it glitched out of existence before coming back again.

"Rogers, Steven. Born, 1918. Romanoff, Natalia Alianovna. Born, 1984. Third being, unknown. Identify."

"(Y/n) Vala Altovar. Born stardate eighteen ninety one point one hundred sixty three. Earth date, nineteen ninety one." I said hesitantly.

"Ah yes. Alien," the voice stated, "You are a princess, eh Fräulein?"

"This must be some kind of recorded message," Nat said in confusion.

"I am not a recording, Fräulein," the face claimed. I may not be the man I was when the Captain took me prisoner in 1945, but I am."

"You know this thing?" Nat turned to Steve.

"Arnim Zola was a German scientist who worked for the Red Skull. He's been dead for years."

"First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive. In 1972 I received a terminal diagnosis. Science could not save my body, my mind, however, that was worth saving on two hundred thousand feet of data banks. You are standing in my brain."

"How did you get here?"

"Invited. They thought I could help their cause. I also helped my own."

"Hydra died with Red Skull."

"Cut off one head, two more shall take its place."

"Prove it."

"Accessing archive...Hydra was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. What we did not realize, was that if you try to take that freedom, they resist. The war taught us much. Humanity needed to surrender its freedom willingly. After the war, SHIELD was founded and I was recruited. The new Hydra grew. A beautiful parasite inside SHIELD. For seventy years Hydra has been secretly feeding crisis, reaping war. And when history did not cooperate, history was changed."

"That's impossible," I shook my head, "SHIELD would have stopped you."

"Accidents will happen," the computer screen flashed, showing a newspaper clipping of the Stark Accident, "Hydra created a world so chaotic that humanity is finally ready to sacrifice its freedom to gain its security. Once the purification process is complete, Hydra's new world order will arise. We won, Captain. Your death amounts to the same as your Life; a zero sum"

_Crack!_

Flushed pink with anger, Steve pulled his hand back after punching the computer screen. Zola's face simply appeared on another.

"What's on this drive?" Steve breathed out, calming down a bit.

"Project Insight requires insight. So I wrote an algorithm."

"What kind of algorithm?" Muscles contracting into shivers, I asked the nervewracking question. I had been working on Project Insight since New York, and to see it crumbling around me...

"The answer to your question is fascinating. Unfortunately, you shall be too dead to hear it."

The doros behind us bagan to close. In an effort to save our escape, Steve threw his shield. But it was too late, it simply bounced off and back into his hand.

"We got a bogey. Short range ballistic. 30 seconds tops."

"I am afraid I have been stalling, Captain. Admit it, it's better this way. We're both of us... out of time."

I grabbed the hardrive from the insertion. Steve ripped up the bottom of a sewer hatch. Grabbing Nat and I, he jumped inside, throwing his shield above us. It wouldn't be enough, not with the size of the entrance hole.

I threw my hands up, forming a larger shield over our bodies. The building crumped around us. It felts as thogh every single piece of rubble landed on my shield, adding even more weight to it. I screamed out, hands shaking like a vibrating phone.

The building's weight broke through my shield. I fell backwards against Nat, the stress and exhaustion of the past few days finally getting to me.

_"Informație. Acum."_

_I was in the same place. It was like everything had started all over again. My vision was still blurred, my thinking was slow. I saw the flash of the metal hand._

_"Nersh juh," I slurred._

_"What language do you speak?"_

_I tried to focus on something else, something I hadn't noticed before. A tux, the man was wearing a tux. Now that I was focusing on it. I was wearing a dress. There was a party wasn't there?_

_"Name one. It won't change anything." I tugged at my hands, I was restrained, "I still...I still have enough sense to get out of...To get out of here."_

_"You don't need to die, just tell me what I need to know."_

_There was! I was supposed to go to the party and get information out of someone. I did, I flirted and talked, acted like one of his mistresses. Then that guy came up to me, the one with the metal hand and blue eyes. I had to stay, so I wouldn't be suspicious. He bought me a drink..._

_"How about I tell you what I know?" My vision was coming back, the drug was wearing off. It must have been different in my system than in a normal human's, "You were a gentleman to me before I started to black out. It didn't look forced, it wasn't forced. But this is. You don't want to kill me, you don't even want to kill me."_

_"You don't know anything about what I want," the man picked out a knife from a small bag, "What I want is to accomplish my mission."_

_"Maybe I don't know what you want," I shrugged, tugging at my binds again, "But I know you."_

_"You're pulling out of it faster than anticipated," the man sighed, ignoring my prevoius statement, "Probably because of whatever you are."_

_"You're stuck. You don't know who you are," I was shocked that I hadn't already fallen out of my human form because of the drugs. Then again, back then it was top priority, "You feel like you don't belong. Who knew. The Winter Soldier, just like me."_

_The Winter Solider? That was it. That was the conncection. That was what brought back these drugged memories. That's why I knew the face. But the eyes...The museum...Where did that come from?_

_"Without the drugs I'll have to resort to other tactics."_

_"Are you even listening ot me? Midgardians are so rude," out of anger, frustration, and probably because I still had some drugs in my system, I shifted into my natural form, "This is why we're alike! Because neither of us belong! But we're making it work. We're trying. But you're doing this the wrong way. You aren't making your own choices!"_

_The Winter Soldier stopped, dropping his knife. I tugged at my restraints one last time, letting out a spell to break them. Jumping up, I held out my hands to show the Winter Soldier I wasn't going to attack. Negotiation tactics were something I was working, so I was going to try it._

_"You're an alien, aren't you?"_

_"Yeah. Who are you?"_

_The whole 'Tough Guy' act dropped for a moment. I saw the hopelessness behind his mask, the sadness._

_"I don't know," the man turned to look out the window, "You need to go. Before my superiors come for my report. They'll probably wipe me. Don't expect me to see you again."_

_I smiled brightly, "You aren't a villain. Not really. Thank you for letting me go. I hope we can meet again, maybe then I can help you out."_

_"One more thing," I jumped when something pricked my arm, "Just so you don't look for me. Now go back to your hotel, and go to sleep."_

_"Yeah...I'll do that."_

 


	11. Homesick

 

The sun was brighter than I wanted it to be when I woke up. Groaning, I rubbed my eyes. Where was I? The hospital? SHIELD?

"I thought you died," Steve startled me, he was sitting in a chair at the side of the bed. His strong arms pulled me into a tight hug.

"Steve you're going to crack a rib. I don't have as many to spare." I groaned. Orveonians only had 20 ribs because they had an extra organ that assisted their bodies in shifting, "Where are we?"

"Sam Wilson's," Steve smiled, "Since everyone else we know is trying to kill us and all."

Steve held out a damp towel. I ran it over my face, hair, and a few other places caked in dust. Sam peeked his head in as I was putting the cloth in the laundry basket.

"Making breakfast, if you guys eat that kind of thing," the man chuckled.

I smiled happily, momentarily forgetting about my flashbacks. I stood up from the bed and stepped out of the room, almost immediately getting tackled into a hug by Nat.

"You shouldn't have done that you crazy wurn."

"You're using the word incorrectly. Sort of," I hugged back all the same, "I figured some stuff out too. I know the Winter Soldier."

Steve choked on air, Nat's mouth hanging open in shock. Sam didn't know what to do, but from Steve and Nat's reactions, whoever the Winter Soldier was, wasn't good.

"On that mission in Romania, the one with the blank spots, we assumed I got injured while getting information and got amnesia, but that wasn't it. The Winter Soldier drugged me, and tried to get information. But, I just talked to him, and I think I hit a chord because he let me go."

"The Winter Soldier doesn't just let people go," Nat scoffed.

"You got away with just a scar," I pointed out, "Whatever happened doesn't matter anymore. What does matter, is the fact that pretty much all of SHIELD is untrustworthy. Jasper Sitwell, the man from the Lemurian Star, he's the guy we want to interrogate."

"So, the real question is: how do the two most wanted people in Washington kidnap a SHIELD officer in broad daylight?"

"The answer is you don't," Sam dropped a file on the table in front of us, "Call it a resume."

"What did you use?" I looked through the file, there were a few mission outlines.

"You said you flew, not like a bird," Steve held up a picture.

"I can't ask you to do this, Sam," Steve sighed, "You just got out, and for a good reason."

"Captain America needs my help. There's no better reason to get back in," Sam shrugged casually.

"Where can we get our hands on these things?"

"The last one is at Fort Meade, behind three guarded gates and a twelve-inch steel wall."

"If you can get me there, I can get those wings in half an hour," I assured.

"You got yourself some woman," Sam said to Steve.

"You're telling me."

~*~

"Out of all of the plans you've pulled out of your kif this one tops them all," even though I used an Orveonian word, I knew Steve would be able to understand what I was saying through the com.

I was currently pointing a laser pointer at Jasper Sitwell. The man looked in my general direction, but his eyes completely passed over me. He then looked over to Sam, who waved at him casually. Sitwell slowly walked over and got into Sam's car. There, Steve and Nat were waiting for him.

I sprang up from my waiting position and ran down the street into a random building. It was the one we had chosen for the interrogation. Stepping into the elevator I gripped the rail it rose up. When it dinged, opening on the top floor, I stepped out and took the last staircase onto the roof. Steve, Nat, Sam, and Sitwell were already there waiting for me.

"Tell me about Zola's algorithm," Steve ordered, taking a menacing step forward.  
"Never heard of it."

"What were you doing on the Lemurian Star?"

"I was throwing up, I get seasick," Steve grabbed the man's collar and pushed him to the edge of the roof, "Is this little display meant to insinuate that you're gonna throw me off the roof? Because it's really not your style, Rogers."

"You're right. It's not. It's hers," Steve stepped to the side and allowed Nat to kick Sitwell off of the building.

As we stood waiting for Sam, Nat turned to Steve and I, "So are you two doing the whole waiting for marriage thing or..."

Luckily, Steve and I didn't have to answer as Sam flew up with Sitwell in his grasp. The three of us walked towards him, on a warpath.

"Zola's algorithm is a program for choosing Insight's targets!" Sitwell confessed, obviously frightened.

"What targets?"

"You! A TV anchor in Cairo, the Undersecretary of Defense, a high school valedictorian in Iowa city. Bruce Banner, Stephen Strange, anyone who's a threat to Hydra! Now, or in the future."

"The future? How could it know?" I kneeled down next to the man.

Sitwell laughed, "You helped design the program and you don't even know. You're just an ignorant little princess who doesn't know how the world wo-"

Grabbing Sitwell by his collar, I slammed his body onto the pavement of the roof, scowling. I hated it when people used my status against me. I was a princess, so what?

"The 21st century is a digital book," Sitwell groaned in pain, "Zola taught Hydra how to read it. Your bank records, medical histories, voting patterns, emails, phone calls, your damn SAT scores. Zola's algorithm evaluates people's past to predict their future."

"What then?"

"Then the Insight Helicarriers scratch people off the list. A few million at a time."

~*~

"I can shut down the Insight Program but I need to be there in person to do it," I shifted uncomfortably. Sam's car only seated four and we had five, so I was basically sitting in Steve's lap.

"What are you? Crazy?" Sitwell leaned forward, "That is a terrible idea."

"Can it," I snapped, "I will not hesitate to throw you out of this car."

Without any warning, Sitwell was pulled from the car and thrown into oncoming traffic. Nat climbed over the seat to the front, moving all of us away from gunshots that were potentially deadly. Sam braked, sending the Winter Soldier off of the car. We were dead.

A car rammed into us from behind, sending us towards the soldier. He jumped back onto the car, breaking a hole in the roof and taking out the steering wheel. Steve slammed his shield into the side of the car, pulling us out and onto the street.

"Run!" I yelled when I saw what gun they gave the Winter Soldier. There was no hesitation, no recognition, they had wiped him.

I dove behind a truck as we tried to avoid the onslaught of bullets coming our way.

"Toss me a gun!" I yelled, finger hovering over the trigger when she gave it to me, "You need to go and find Steve."

"And let you fight him on your own? Not happening," Nat shot back.

"You're hurt," I noticed the blood near her shoulder, "And I've been near him before and lived. Now go!"

Nat nodded hesitantly, running off to go find and help Steve. I ducked behind another car, looking around cautiously for the soldier. Spotting him closer to me than I would have liked, I kept running, sprinting onto a busy street.

I could basically feel his breath on my neck as I set down a recording, running in the opposite direction as stealthily as possible. He blew up the car I set the recording near. I took the chance and jumped towards him. Gripping his metal arm it heated up under my fingertips, then became limp.

Taking off again, I ran in a straight line through civilians, "Run! Get out of here!"

I knew if I ran in zig-zags, the chances of an innocent person getting shot would raise by a lot. I didn't need that on my consciousness.

Diving behind a random car, I jumped when Nat joined me. Peeking out, I saw Steve fighting the soldier now. Nat was paler that usual, clutching her shoulder tightly.

"Oh Atreya, it's getting worse isn't it?" I moved her hand away, looking at the wound, "The bullet is still inside though, that's good. Here, take this."

Tossing Nat her gun, I moved out from behind the car. Running towards Steve and the Winter Soldier, every muscle in my body stopped moving when his mask was hit off.

"Bucky?'

That was it. The final string. It was why Bucky Barnes' picture seemed so familiar, why those eyes were so strange.

Large SHIELD vans surrounded us, at least ten men storming out from each one. Given the current circumstances, there was no way we would be able to take all of them.

"Drop the shield, Cap! On your knees! Get on your knees! Now!" Rumlow pointed at me, "Knock her out. We don't need that freak shifting or using magic to get out of this."

Something cold pressed against the back of my neck. Jolting pain rolled throughout my body without pause. I cried out, falling to my knees. Nat, Sam, and Steve were yelling as my vision blacked out. I prayed that I would pass out so the pain would end.

Even as I was being pushed into a truck with the others, the electricity continued. Nat, despite her shoulder injury, tried to reach forward and pull the small device from my neck.

"You touch that, and you get shot again," One of the guards threatened. The other guard activated their baton. Worried that I would be electrocuted even more, I backed up. But the guard electrocuted the other guard instead.

"Ah. That thing was squeezing my brain," Maria pulled her helmet off. She reached forward and deactivated the device.

"Oh thank Atreya," I fell against the seat, my limbs still jerking every few seconds, "That was the worst thing."

"You alright?" Steve put his hand on my shoulder in worry.

"Fine," I groaned, "Nothing I can't handle."

Maria pulled out a burner, pressing it against the bottom of the van. She created a circle large enough for all of us to fit through. Nat slipped out first, rolling out from under the van after it passed. Sam went next, then me, then Steve and Maria.

"Where to now?" I looked to Maria, sore from all the work my muscles had done.

~*~

"We need a shot of morphine," Maria motioned towards me, "And we got a GSW. She's lost at least a pint. Both of them will want to see her first."

Maria pulled back a curtain, allowing us to ee a very much alive Nick Fury. Fury smirked, "About time."

Someone handed me a shot of morphine, which I put in my arm as Nick explained how he survived.

"Lacerated spinal column, cracked sternum, shattered collarbone, perforated liver, one hell of a headache."

"Don't forget your collapsed lung."

"Oh, let's not forget that. Otherwise, I'm good. Tetrodotoxin B. Slows the pulse to one beat a minute. Banner developed it for stress. Didn't work so great for him, but we found a use for it."

"Why all the secrecy Why not just tell us?" Steve questioned.

"Can't kill me if I'm already dead. Besides, I wasn't sure who to trust."

After a small struggle to stand, Fury ushered us to a small round table, where files on what was going on were spread out.

"Alexander Pierce declined the Nobel Peace Prize. He said, 'Peace wasn't an achievement, it was a responsibility.' See, it's stuff like this that gives me trust issues."

"We have to stop the launch."

"Agent Altovar, you are the most experienced with the tech on the ship. However, Pierce was one of the few people who knew every access code. He would have changed them all by now."

"It doesn't matter," I said surely, leaning back in my seat, "Sorry Fury, but I have trust issues too. What with the possibility of being experimented on always present. There's a backup protocol. A way to get past everything. I need a knife. Anyone got a knife?"

Nat pulled a knife out of her boot, handing it to me. Gritting my teeth, I sunk the blade into the skin on my arm.

"What are you doing?" Steve asked in a panic, hand out, ready to stop me.

"The safety measure," I grunted, holding up four of my scales, "Requires DNA, not just hair either, I made sure of that. It will scan the scale and give access to the shutdown measures of the ship. Now can I please get a bandaid?"

A doctor rushed over and held out a pack of bandages. I set the scales down on the table. One for each of us. One person on each helicarrier, and an extra person in case one of us got captured or well, didn't make it.

"Once the Helicarriers reach three thousand feet, they'll triangulate with Insight satellites becoming fully weaponized," Maria placed a few bandaids on my arm, "How does the DNA thing work?"

"Where the targeting blades are, we need to replace only one with the scale. The ship will scan it and the backup self destruct measures will kick in. I'll have to put in some codes on one of the ships, but after that they'll go down." I noticed that everyone was looking at me in astonishment, "What? Royals know how to cover every scenario. It seems like no one on Earth knows how to."

"We have to assume everyone aboard those carriers is HYDRA. We take the ships down and maybe, just maybe, we can salvage-"

"We're not salvaging anything," Steve crossed his arms, determined, "We're not just taking down the carriers, Nick, we're taking down SHIELD."

"SHIELD has nothing to do with this."

"SHIELD has everything to do with this," I stated, sighing, "SHIELD took us in, but Fury, there's nothing left to save. HYDRA grew right under all of our noses."

"Why do you think we're meeting in this cave? I noticed."

"How many paid the price before you did?"

"Look, I didn't know about Barnes," Fury turned to Steve.

"Even if you have, would you have told me? Or would you have compartmentalized that too? SHIELD, Hydra, it all goes."

A strange thought popped up in my head. I looked to Nick, curious, "Did you know about my encounter with the Winter Soldier?"

"He destroyed the devices on you, but I had a good guess that he was who you encountered. Even if you didn't remember."

"Unbelievable," I threw my hands up, "Unbelievable. All of you Midgardians, all of you Earth...people. I came here to help, to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. But none of you wanted that did you?"

"(Y/n)," Nat placed her hand on my arm. I jerked it away.

"No, no. I'm sorry if I'm a little upset, but all of this...This isn't what I wanted. I had more hope for Earth. But everyone lies, and fights. It's what this planet thrives on. No matter how hard I worked, it was always going to end up like this. And that's worse than any experiment the government could do on me. I need some air."

I stepped out of the stuffy cave and walked onto the bridge. The fresh air was nice, helping me clear my head as well. I knew I was being a bit more than a little hypocritical back there. I had lied to, not only as part of my work at SHIELD, but a lot in my life in general. The public had no idea what I was until New York, the other Avengers all thought I was human until I couldn't lie anymore, and Steve. Atreya, I lied so much to Steve and it was eating me alive.

The first lie was about Project Insight. Well, it wasn't really a lie because I didn't even know that he didn't know. But that put a rift in our relationship that I was lucky to be able to repair. Then, perhaps the biggest lie I had ever told, was Peggy. I didn't regret doing what I did, but I did at the same time. There was a strange, grey line that I was stuck on. I loved Steve, and I gave him that push to ask me out, but it wasn't morally right.

"Hey, you good?" Steve stepped onto the bridge beside me, "You kind of blew up back there."

"I'm fine, just overwhelmed," I wiped under my eyes, "All of this conflict sort of makes me miss my planet."

"Have you been back since you left?"

"Nope," I said simply, before laughing slightly, "I haven't seen my family in years. I've talked to them, but I haven't seen them. I haven't felt ready to go back. Now I don't feel ready to do a lot of other things."

"There are things you feel like you can never do. If you don't push yourself to do them, they'll never get done," Steve looked into the distance.

"There's hope for him you know," I nudged Steve's arm, drawing his attention back to me, "He saved my life. There's good in him, Steve. He'll remember you."

Steve pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back just as tightly, ignoring the throbbing pain that rang throughout my body. Steve was just as stressed, and tired as I was. Both of us just wanted to go home, and save Bucky.

"Thank you," he kissed my temple, "Now, let's suit up."

"You don't have your suit. Where are you going to go?"

Steve thought for a moment, "Do you remember when we visited the museum?"


	12. End of SHIELD

 

"It's like we're back in the forties," I grinned, looking over Steve in his new-old uniform.

"Can you get us in there without being seen?" Sam asked.

"I think so," trying to think of a spell that could hide us, I slowly made a few turning motions with my hands, "Stick to the shadows just in case, and be quiet."

We entered the compound without much fuss, the spell working better than I thought it would. Once we were inside the main control center, Steve knocked out the guards standing outside. A worker opened the door to see what was going on, catching us as I dropped the spell.

"Move aside son," Steve ordered the smaller man. The guy held his hands up, pointing to where we had to go.

"You want to talk?" I asked Steve, motioning to the speaker. My brows raised in surprise when he shook his head, "But you're Captain America."

"And you're their friend. They'll trust you more."

I bent down to the com, pressing the button, "Attention, all SHIELD agents. This is (Y/n) Altovar. Steve Rogers is here next to me. I know you've heard a lot about us the past few days. Some of you were sent to hunt us down. But the time for lies is over. SHIELD is not what we thought it was. It's been taken over by Hydra. Alexander Pierce is their leader. The Strike and Insight crews are also Hydra, I don't know how many more. But they are in the building.

"Hydra almost has what they want. Absolute control. All of you joined SHIELD for a reason. It's time you stand up, and fight for that reason. If those helicarriers launch Hydra will kill millions. Unless we stop them. I understand that I'm asking a lot of you. The price for freedom is high, I've come to understand that. If we're the only ones willing to pay it, then we will fight to our dying breath. But, I have a feeling we're not."

I stepped away from the com, smiling at the other proudly. Steve nodded in approval.

"Did you write that down first, or was it off the top of your head?"

"Royals are good at coming up with speeches. I only had ten minutes to figure out my goodbye speech to my planet," I shrugged casually, "Let's go."

Sam, Steve, and I ran from the control room, leaving Maria in the control room. She had the extra scale since Nat and Fury were handling Pierce. We passed through the bay and out the launch doors.

"Remember where those chips go, I only need to activate self destruct from one ship."

"How do we tell the good guys from the bad guys?" Sam questioned.

"If they're shooting at you, they're bad," Steve advised as we reached the edge.

I took a few steps back, then sprinted for a running start. I created a shield below myself, wobbling slightly before evening out. As I flew higher above the ground, people from below, and air above began to shoot their guns up at me. I ducked down, creating another shield around myself.

Coming to my rescue, Sam swooped down and charged them up, making them explode. I pushed forward onto the next ship, somersaulting onto the deck.

"Okay, okay," I mumbled to myself, sprinting towards the canons. I closed my fists, discs forming around them. As I passed by each canon I hit a vital point, shutting it down.

Ducking down, I dove into an open door. After taking a few turns, the panel holding all of the programming chips was in front of me. I ran towards it, taking out a random chip and pushing in my scale instead. I made sure it scanned correctly before I ran off.

"Delta locked," I reported into the com.

_"Alpha locked."_

Putting up the same spell I used earlier to keep us hidden, I sprinted to the main deck, silently taking out the two guards outside. I pulled their bodies into a room across from control, shutting the door.

_"Falcon, status?"_

_"Had to take a detour!"_

I slipped into the main deck. Three guards, four workers. All of whom were most likely armed. I shifted into one of the guards I had taken out, clothes and all, straightening up and walking in.

"They wanted the two of you to go check out the disturbance on the roof," I pointed at two of the guards. They nodded, passing by me. Something on their uniforms began to beep. I tensed up. Both of them pulled up a small device and pointed it at me. The beeps became louder and closer together.

"One of the perks of Hydra is their tech," one of the guards grinned, "They got enough of your blood to make a scanner."

I shifted back into my natural form, throwing a kick at the guard closest to me. One grabbed my below my shoulders, their hands on the back of my neck. I threw my head back, hitting her nose and feeling a satisfying crack from her face. That guard dropped me, clutching her rapidly bleeding nose. I kicked the back of her knees, kicking her temple when she fell.

Turning to the last two, I pulled out the female guards escrima stick from her uniform. I roundhouse kicked one of the guards in the back, sending him flying into the other one. Activating the escrima, I shocked both of them until they were out.

"That's what it feels like," I snapped. I turned to the workers, panting heavily. All of them dropped their weapons to the ground and held up their hands, "In the corner. Sit down."

_"Bravo locked."_

"Took you long enough," I sighed, moving to the main monitor, "Madame Teyla would have eaten you alive if she tutored you."

I began to type in the several different passwords for the systems self destruct. I had made the process long so no one with the wrong intentions could get into it. I twas a decision I was currently regretting. I had three more codes, two retinal scans- one for each eye- and a fingerprint scans.

 _"The Winter Soldier is here!"_ Steve yelled into the com.

"I need more time," I yelled back, glancing at the workers to make sure they were behaving, "Keep him busy!"

_"Guys I'm grounded. The suit is down. Where are you?"_

_"Still on the helicarrier. I don't see Bucky anywhere. (Y/n) I think he's heading your way."_

"Helk wurn," I swore, completing my second code. I kept my eyes open as both retinals scans were completed.

The door swished open behind me and I froze. I knew exactly who it was. I just prayed to Atreya that he wasn't brainwashed to the point of not remembering who I was. I pressed my right pointer finger against the screen, finishing the print scan. I only had one code left.

"He's here," I whispered, fingers hovering over the number pad.

_"I'm on my way (Y/n), hold on!"_

Bullets rained over me as I created a shield to keep me safe. Three bullets slipped past the hastily cast spell. One in my shoulder, one in my thigh, and the other grazing my side and shattering one of the nearby screens. I got three numbers into the ten digit code before Bucky punched through my shield, shattering it like glass. I ducked under another punch, kicking him in the gut, he stumbled back maybe two steps, giving me the chance to put in another three numbers.

_"One minute left."_

Cold, metal fingers wrapped themselves around my neck. I yelped as they forced my head into the large window in front of me. Blood carved a path down my face. One more slam and the glass would break and send me out into the open air.

_"Thirty seconds."_

"Bucky please," I cried out as he slammed my back against the panel, "This isn't who you are!"

Bucky froze, giving me the chance to type in the last four numbers in the code. Bucky reverted back into Winter Soldier mode when he saw the red lights flashing. The computer began to announce minute second countdown. Bucky moved his hand to my neck again, slamming me against the glass. This time, it shattered.

 _"(Y/n), Cap, you need to get out of there, the ships have one minute before they explode,"_ Maria warned.

_"(Y/n)'s fighting Bucky, (Y/n) I'm almost there!"_

"Get out now!"

_"But-"_

"Do this for me, please! I love you Steve," I choked out as Bucky's grip tightened, cutting off my airway completely.

The ship began to explode, starting in the roo with the chips. The impact of it made Bucky loosen his grip around me. As a final attempt to save myself, I shifted into Steve. There were flickers, at one moment my arm or torso would shift back.

"I'm with you, to the end of the line."

Bucky let me go. Steve's form fell away, and I was myself again. My com flew out of my ear with the wind. I was weightless, numb, my wounds weren't my main concern. Me faling wasn't my main concern. I was bleeding out, tumbling towards water that would feel like concrete, and I wasn't scared.

My vision blurred as I came even nearer to the water. I wasn't afraid of dying. It was the end of everything, but the beginning to everything at the same time. I knew the risk of this, and I was willing to take it for Steve, for the world. I was however, afraid of what this would do to Steve, he would now lose two of the women he had loved.

My body hit the water, and from the impact, bleeding out, or just plain shock. Everything went black, for what I assumed would be, the last time.

And I was ready for that.

~*~

Pain. It was the first thing that came to me when I woke up. It was dull, toned down, but it was still there. It told me I was alive. My vision cleared and I tilted my head to look around. I was in a hospital, Steve in the chair next to me.

Star Trek's tell-tale theme flowed into my ears. I smiled, instantly regretting it. The pan had intensified and settled in my cheeks.

"Star Trek movie night," voice hoarse, and throat burning, I croaked out those four words.

"As soon as your out," Steve grinned, his eyes shining with tears.

"There was a scene like this in the second one," I groaned, "Jim lived too. Spoiler alert."

"You're supposed to say that before you say the spoiler," Steve chuckled.

"I'm on so many drugs right now. Be happy I'm speaking english."

~*~*~*~

"Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" A woman stood in front of Steve and Natasha, swearing them to the truth in front of a slew of politicians and reporters.

"Yes," they said at the same time.

They moved to their seats, ready to be asked an onslaught of questions. (Y/n) was still in the hospital, better, but not yet ready to be discharged.

"I don't know what there is left left for her to say. I think her saving millions from being killed says enough," Nat sassed, crossing her arms.

"Well she could explains how this country's expected to maintain its national security now that she and you two have laid waste to our intelligence apparatus."

"Hydra was feeding you lies," Steve crossed his arms as well, "Not intelligence."

"Many of which you seem to have had a personal hand in telling."

"Agent Romanoff, you should know that there are some on this committee who feel, given your service record, both for this country and against it, that you belong in a penitentiary, not mouthing off on Capitol Hill."

"We have a secure location for Miss Altovar," Capitol Hill spoke up again, "She is not of this world and this has proved just how much of a threat she can be. It would be in Earth's best interest if we ran a few tests on her and her abilities."

"(Y/n) isn't a threat. Neither is her planet, they're more peaceful than we can understand," Nat said defensively, "But I can promise they won't be if you experiment on the Princess of that planet. You think she's dangerous? Try millions of her, angry for revenge."

"Was that a threat Agent Romanoff?"

"No sir, just a promise."

"What happens on the day she decides she doesn't want to defend this planet anymore?" Scudder questioned, "When she decides to shapeshift into a secret service officer and kill the president? Or imitate a general and order a nuclear missile strike? This woman is a danger to global security, more than most of you. It would be safer to have her in our sights, than have her working, now, on her own."

Steve clenched his fist in anger. These high ups, were threatening, no, they sounded like they were determined, to see (Y/n) slip up so they could send her to this 'secure location' to 'run some tests'. That was the one thing (Y/n) always feared about being on Earth. That they would take her, and they would experiment on her because she could shapeshift, because she was alien, and was different. Steve would fight with everything he had to make sure that didn't happen.

"You won't arrest us, or put (Y/n) in a science lab," Nat said surely, "Because at the end of the day, you need us. We may have taken down SHIELD, but we are the most qualified to save the world. And (Y/n) may be the biggest danger, but that also means she's the biggest danger to the people like HYDRA."

"If you want to arrest us, arrest us," Steve added, "You'll know where to find us."

Steve and Nat stood up, silently and confidently walking out of the conference room. As soon as they were out, Steve and Nat shared a worried look.

"We can't let her know what they want to do to her," Nat shook her head, "She'll shift and hide, and she won't ever come out of that."

"Her biggest fear is Earth turning on her, experimenting on her. The government was fine with her while she was under SHIELD. She's a hero, and they want to lock her up because of it."

"I hate to say it, but they do have a point. She could become anyone. She's dangerous."

"But not to the people she wants to protect."

~*~*~*~

I let out a sigh, looking at Fury's 'grave' with Steve and Sam beside me. Fury soon joined us, the eyepatch gone, replaced with dark tinted sunglasses.

"We've been data-mining Hydra's files. Looks like a lot of rats didn't go down with the ship. I'm headed to Europe tonight, wanted to ask if you'd come."

"There's something we gotta do first," Steve and I shook our heads.

"What about you, Wilson? Could use a man with your abilities."

"I'm more of a soldier than a spy."

Each of us shook hands with Fury as a goodbye. But something inside of me instinct or magical future vision, told me we would be seeing him again someday soon.

"Anybody asks for me, tell them they can find me right here," Fury pointed at his grave, then left.

"You should be honored. That's about as close as he gets to saying thank you," Nat chuckled, approaching us as Fury walked off.

"Not going with him?"

"Nope. I blew all my covers, I gotta go figure out a new one," Nat smiled lopsidedly, "That thing you asked for, I called in a few favors from Kiev."

She handed Steve a thick file. She then gave each of us a quick hug, "Stay together. You two are cute. Be careful, alright?"

As she began to leave as well, Steve opened the folder. The files on Bucky were numerous, some holding missions, others holding torture information. We were lucky I knew Russian, otherwise this would be a lot harder.

"Wait," I picked up the top file. There was a sticky note from Nat on it.

_Thought you'd want to read this ;)_

"What is it?" Steve read the file over my shoulder, as if he could read Russian.

"It's the file about the mission where he met me," I read it over quickly, "He was punished for not getting the information he needed. But, he saved me, and didn't give me up as an alien."

"You're going after him," Sam stated.

"You don't have to come," Steve assured, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

"I know...When do we start?"

 


	13. Two Enhanced

 

"Remember when we said this was going to be a stealth mission?" I asked sarcastically as I shot at any Hydra agents that were coming near our fast moving Hummers.

I moved to the front to the Hummer, jumping off and into the air. With a small boost from a shield I got over the fence and into the Hydra base. Steve pulled up beside me on his bike, holding out his hand so I could get on beside him. Through the com both of us could hear Tony curse loudly.

"Language," Steve reprimanded, his face grimacing when he realized his mistake.

"Jarvis, how does in look up above?" I asked, holding back a laugh at Steve's slip-up.

_"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other Hydra base we've taken."_

_"Loki's scepter must be here. Strucker couldn't mount this defense without it. At long last."_

_"At long last is lasting a little long, boys."_

_"Hang on a second. Is no one else going to deal with the fact that Cap just said 'language'?"_

"I know," Steve sighed, a Hummer neared us, "Jump!"

I jumped off of the motorcycle, somersaulting as Steve threw the bike at the enemy vehicle.

"It just slipped out."

Steve and I went our separate ways to cover the different entrances of the facility. As I was getting ready to jump on an agent something knocked my feet out from under me. I quickly recovered and looked around, nothing. I quickly punched the agent unconscious.

_"We have an enhanced on the field."_

"People like me? Lovely," I muttered sarcastically. That must have been what knocked me over.

_"Clint's hit!"_

"I'm on my way," I assured Nat.

Not entirely sure where Clint was, I ran in the last general direction I saw him. On the way there, I knocked out another two guys with hand to hand, and three with a few simple spells. Small drops of what I assumed to be Clint's blood led me to his nearly unconscious form.

"Find out the gender yet?" I asked, trying to draw Clint's attention away from his pain.

"The doctors appointment is tomorrow. Nat's hoping for a gir-" Clint cut himself off with a pained groan when I shifted him, "She's hoping for a girl so we can name it Natasha."

Misty gold sprouted from my hand, surrounding the severe wound. While looking through some of my old spell books a week ago, I had come across a few minor spells that could help injuries that I completely forgot about. Healing an injury entirely wasn't possible and broke the balance of good magic, but speeding up the process, or healing it slightly was a grey area.

"You good?" I helped Clint stand when the spell was finished.

"Yeah, I'm fi- Nope, ow, still bleeding," Clint placed his hand over his wound, "I'm gonna head back to the quinjet. Don't worry, I'll stay out of the fighting."

"You better. I need to get inside to help out. Stay safe," I patted Clint's shoulder, "Your kids need a father."

Trusting Clint to handle himself until he got to the quinjet, I ran off towards the now cleared building. As I was walking up the steps to one of the higher levels, I heard a groan. Turning my head to the source, I gasped and jumped over when I saw Steve, injured at the bottom.

"There's a second enhanced, female. Do not engage," Steve lifted his hand to the com in his ear.

Walking up the stairs, together this time, the glow of a computer caught our attention. Strucker was waiting inside, casually, as if he hadn't been a thorn in the Avengers' side for the past year.

"You're going to need to be faster than tha-"

I punched the man across the face, sending him back onto the table. Shaking out my fist with a wince, I grinned at Steve proudly. He chuckled, shaking his head at my strange pride.

 _"I've got the scepter,"_ Tony reported.

"We've got Strucker. Let's head home."

~*~

I finished wrapping Clint's bandages, placing them back in the bin before giving him a thumbs up. He smiled in thanks, lying down on the section of seats he had been formerly sitting on.

"Doctor Cho will heal you entirely with her technology when we get back," I stated, before walking over to join Tony, Steve and Thor in their conversation.

"Banner and I'll give it the once before it goes back to Asgard. Is that cool with you?" Thor nodded in response to Tony's question, "I mean, just a few days until the farewell party. You're staying right?"

"Yes, yes, of course. A victory should be honored with revels," Thor cheered merrily.

"Yeah. Who doesn't love revels, Captain?"

"Getting the scepter is a large step in dealing with the remnants of Hydra," I spoke up, "It is actually a good reason to celebrate. Mind if I seal Steve?"

"Go ahead, have your couple time, talk about freedom, or whatever it is you two do."

Rolling my eyes at Tony's words, I took Steve's hand and led him over to a darker corner of the quinjet, away from the others.

"You did great out there today," I grinned, glad to have a moment alone, even if the others were near, "The motorcycle move was quite interesting."

"I'm glad, I thought you would like it."  
"Rest assured that I did," I chuckled, "When we get home we could cross another movie off of your list? One both of us haven't seen. What would that call for? Chinese or italian?"

"Italian," Steve chose after a brief deliberation, "It seems more fitting, as a victory meal that is."

"Makes sense. I would love for you to try some food from my planet, but many of the animals and plants here are completely different. It'd just be a sad excuse for a substitute," I sighed, looking out the quinjet window. There was a small ache in my chest, a longing I hadn't felt, well, ever.

"Do you miss Orveon?" Steve noticed my distant look.

"I- I don't think so," not recognizing the feeling I denied the claim, "There's nothing to miss. I talk to my parents and my brother when I can, I still have some books about magic from there. I've been away for so long...Earth is my home now."

"You can call a place you're home, but you can still have roots in other places."

"Since when are you the Great Prophet Falkor?" I nudged Steve's side, knowing it was highly unlikely he knew what I was talking about, "Stories said he once owned the Time Stone, and that was how he made his predictions."

"Interesting," Steve mumbled, confused.

"Just do the Midgardian thing and nod like you know what I'm talking about," Steve did as I said, and I smiled appreciatively, "Maybe instead of learning Earth's culture you should learn Orveonian culture."

"One step at a time," Steve's comparatively larger hand found mine, rubbing small circles on the back, "I don't even understand hoverboards yet."

After another hour on the quinjet, spent chatting with the others and resting in small intervals, we arrived back at the Avengers Tower. Maria and Doctor Cho were waiting for us as we landed.

"What's the word on Strucker?" Steve asked, walking alongside Maria and I.

"NATO's got him."

"And the two enhanced?" I spoke up. The two had intrigued me. While Steve could be considered enhanced, there weren't any other enhanced humans I had heard of that weren't involved in the mystic arts.

"Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, twins. Orphaned at ten when a shell collapsed their apartment building. Sokovia's had a rough history. It's nowhere special but it's on the way to everywhere special."

"Their abilities?"

"He's got increased metabolism and improved thermal homeostasis. Her thing is neural electric interfacing, telekinesis, mental manipulation. He's fast and she's weird."

The three of us stepped inside of the elevator. Steve and I pressed our floor while Maria pressed one of the tech floors. It was where she had set up shop and normally worked.

"Well, they're going to show up again."

"Agreed. File says they volunteered for Strucker's experiments. It's nuts," Maria shook her head.

"Right. What kind of monster would let a German scientist experiment on them for their country?" Steve asked sarcastically, obviously referring to himself.

"We're not at war, Captain."

"They are," Steve and I stepped off on our floor, avoiding eye contact with maria as the doors closed again.

"You got a but heated back there," I stated, pulling up few Italian restaurants nearby that did takeout.

"Maria has good intentions, but she doesn't understand, not like I do. Outside countries could look at me and think the same thing everyone else does about those kids."

"We'll work things out Steve, maybe they're a Bucky type situation. You never know," I reassured the man, placing an order with a restaurant. One of Tony's interns would bring it up.

"You really think we're going to find him?" Steve sat down on the couch, mindlessly fiddling with one of the remotes.

"I know we will. When I shifted into you, it was like he was Bucky Barnes again. He saved my life, I'm sure of it," I plucked the remote from his hand, "Let's do something fun, Disney maybe?"

"Disney would be nice," Steve nodded in agreement.

"What about...Brave? It looks interesting, and the main characters hair kind of reminds me of a style Nat used to do."

"Go for it," Steve pulled my close, kissing my temple.

~*~

An hour and a half, some tissues, and pasta and breadsticks later, we were at the end of the movie. Staying close to each other on the couch, we idly watched as the credits rolled up the screen, enjoying the music playing in the background.

I was surprised at how much I related to the film. The main character wanted to change her fate. One action sent her into adventure. But, in the end, her bond with her family strengthened. Mine was fraying, threatening to snap if pressure was applied to it.

"Steve, what's it like to be masforn- er, homesick, sorry."

Steve gave me a curious look, but told me all the same, "It's this ache in your chest a longing for the feelings you had when you were last there. You're constantly thinking about it. Are you homesick?"

"You've already asked me that," I chuckled, no humor in my tone.

"You asked me what it felt like. You've never felt it before, but you think you might be. So, are you homesick?"

"I think I am, I don't know. It's weird. I've never missed home, I wasn't meant to stay there and rot on a throne. But, I do miss it. I miss our moons, and my family. Atreya, I even miss the warblers."

"Maybe you can talk to your family more, fix up your relationship. It's a good first step."

"You're right," filled with a new form of determination, I jumped off of the couch, "I'll call them to tell then I miss them, and that I want to visit in the next year or two!"

"That's the spirit! While you're doing that, I can handle the dishes. Go, call them."

"You're the best, love you," I pecked Steve's cheek, rushing off to grab my tele-pad. It was one of the few things from my planet that travelled everywhere with me. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, I ran a hand through my hair, detangling it a bit, "Hixt Ejo ke Gysk."

The pad flashed for a few moments, sending the signal out to my homeworld. After a short wait, the blank screen blossomed with color, revealing my parents.

"Byph," I greeted cheerfully. I then noticed the servants carrying different things behind them, "Fah hew todst?"

"Oru," Mom answered shortly, "Kar hew yulm?"

"Oru, oru," I assured, "Vuzt hew."

"Vuzt hew," my parents ended the call abruptly.

Sighing disappointedly I set my pad on the dresser. They were royals, they were always busy. Being upset about them not being able to talk was illogical.

"Hey," Steve leaned against the doorframe, "That was quick. How'd it go?"

"They were busy, probably preparing for a celebration," I thought over what time of the year it would be back home, "I think the celebration day for Atreya is coming up," I ran my hands under my eyes, "I just thought they would make some time, just a little bit. I guess I really have been away for a long time if I thought that."

After I laughed humorlessly, Steve sat down on the bed next to me. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me so I was facing him head on. I looked down at my hands, attempting to hide my quivering lip. Cupping his other hand under my cheek, he guided my face up.

"I was so excited to talk to them about visiting home again," I broke down, my arms wrapping themselves around Steve's torso, "I haven't heard their voices in a year and they just shut me down."

"It's okay," Steve trailed his fingertips up and down my back, trying to soothe me, "Everything's going to be alright."

"This is a stupid thing to cry about. I haven't even worried about my home since I left and now I'm crying over a small inconvenience."

"You've never felt homesick before, this is new. Besides, it's okay to cry. Feeling like you can't isn't logical," Steve soothed, his voice low and hypnotic, "Don't punish yourself for things you can't control."

"Thank you," I hugged Steve just a bit tighter, enjoying everything that made him, well, him.

The string connecting me to my family was frayed, and would either break or strengthen in the future, but there were more strings in my life. I had made new connections on Earth, a new home, new family. Even though Orveon still called out to me, I was feeling a little less homesick.

 


	14. Hypocrisy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey what's up hello. I never really do self-promos (that's such a lie I'm sorry) but I made an Instagram and I'm really excited because I want to do some really cool stuff on there, so go give it a follow! It's: lydias.grace
> 
> Enjoy~

 

Three days after we came back from the last Hydra mission, Tony was throwing his farewell party for Thor. The room was full of people, three fourths of which I was sure Thor didn't know. But, the Avengers had become used to Tony's extravagant way of living in the time we had all lived together.

Twirling the pool stick in my hand, I tugged at my dress with the other. If I pulled the dress up, it would show more of my thighs than I was comfortable with. If I pulled the dress down, it would show more cleavage than I was comfortable with. So, being in an awkward middle was the best present option. I knew letting Nat pick what I wore would be a mistake, but she had a better grasp on party fashion than I did.

Leaning down when Sam finished his turn, I took aim and thrust the stick forward, grinning in satisfaction at the results. We had a game similar to pool on Orveon called Rufa. However, instead of just hitting the balls, the aim was to get the stick through the middle of as many as possible.

After finishing the game- Steve, surprisingly, won- the three of us wandered away from the main party area and into a quieter one.

"Sounds like a hell of a fight, sorry I missed it."

"If I had known it was going to be a firefight I absolutely would have called you," Steve assured.

"No, I'm actually not sorry," Sam chuckled, "I was just trying to sound tough. I'm happy chasing cold leads on our missing persons case. Have you had any luck with your contacts (Y/n)?"

"Contacts as in spells I can find in my books?" Sam shrugged, meaning yes, "The ones that I've tried have given me fragments, fleeting images of where he is, but it's nothing to go on. I've been meaning to find better spell books as long as I've been on Earth, with this new free time, I might take the chance."

The three of us entered back into the party through another set of doors. In front of the bar, Thor was explaining the concept of Asgardian liquor to several party guests. Grabbing a glass, I poured myself a generous amount. Humans didn't seem to understand that they had no tolerance for it. Thor, Loki, and I used to sneak some from the kitchens, we were used to it.

"Here," I held out my glass to Steve, "I know you can't get drunk but this might change things."

Steve hesitantly took a sip, his face scrunching up in surprise. After a few seconds, he took another sip, getting used to the taste.

"This was aged for a thousand years, in the barrels built from the wreck of Brunhilde's fleet. It's not meant for mortal men," Thor poured me a glass since I gave mine to Steve.

"Neither was Omaha Beach, blondie. Stop trying to scare us. Come on," an older man said impatiently.

Thor and I shared a knowing look, but the god poured the man a glass all the same. After a single sip, the man seemed ready to fall out of his chair. Two of his friends grabbed his arms and began to help him out.

"Excelsior," he chanted.

"Mortals," I sighed, downing the rest of my drink like it was a shot.

"I'm gonna go talk to Bruce," Steve told me.

"Take your drink with you," I giggled, "I don't think you've ever gotten drunk."

"You don't know what the forties were like," Steve winked, walking off.

"You and Steve seem to have a wonderful relationship," Thor commented, refilling my glass. I picked it up from the counter, taking a drink, "Perhaps it is time you spoke about marriage."

Sputtering, and trying not to spit, I slammed the glass down on the counter. Cheeks flushed a deep violet, Thor seemed to be oblivious to how embarrassed I was by his statement.

"Not only would both of you be able to spend your lives together, but if your brother were to forfeit the throne, you would have a king to rule with you."

"Varian is highly unlikely to give up his claim," I scoffed, my blush going down, "Whether or not he does, I don't want to be stuck ruling a planet. It's the last thing I see myself doing."

"You sound like a child," Thor chuckled, "Saying 'Never this' or 'Never that'. The Fates hold our futures in their palms, don't tempt them."

"Alright Loki," I rolled my eyes, then froze, realizing what I just said, "Thor I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," Thor's lips stretched into a reassuring smile, "It was something he would say."

Not knowing how to break the tension I had just created, I dismissed myself to go wander a bit. I hated parties, the way people's eyes lingered on me because I was different, but dealing with that was better than trying to think of something to say to Thor.

~*~

After another two hours of either wandering aimlessly or chatting with the other Avengers, the partygoers had left, leaving the inner circle on a few couches. Tipsy, tired, and full of happiness, everyone was in generally good moods.

Thor set his hammer down on the table, explaining that if someone were able to pick it up, they could rule over Asgard. I had been able to pick it up for some time, the royal blood flowing through my veins assisting me in the matter  
.  
Clint went first, giving a small tug at the handle. When it didn't budge he shrugged and sat down again, picking up a drumstick to twirl it around his fingers.

Tony was up next. He took his time getting to the hammer, analyzing it, "I lift it, I rule Asgard?"

"Yes of course."

"I will be reinstituting Prima Nocta," I scoffed at Tony's statement, rolling my eyes. The man pulled on the handle, failing, "I'll be right back."

After a brief pause, Tony returned wearing one of his suit gauntlets. After failing with that, Rhodey joined him.

"Are you even pulling" Rhodey questioned in frustration.

"Are you on my team?" Tony shot back.

After the two of them obviously failed to lift the hammer, Bruce tried next. He didn't put too much effort into it, and insetead made a joke out of pretending to Hulk out. A few chuckles were passed around, a bit weary, but full of humor all the same.

"Steve, perhaps you would like to try?" I motioned to the hammer.

Steve stepped up to the hamor, giving it a try. Surprisingly- or unsurprisingly, as I had a hunch- the hammer shifted, looking ready to come up completely. But Steve stepped back, signifying it wasn't going to happen.

"Widow?"

"Oh no," Nat chuckled with a shake of her head, "That's not a question I need answered."

"What about you (Y/n)?" Tony took a large swig from his drink, "You think you can rule Asgard?"

"While I do despise the idea of having to sit on a throne and rule," I reached forward and picked up Thor's hammer. It was heavier to me than it was to him, and I knew it was because there were things I did for SHIELD that increased that weight, "But I think I could rule all the same."

"That's not fair!" Clint called out, laughing, "The hammer is picking favorites."

"The hammer doesn't pick favorites," I set it back down, "It was blessed by Odin to only be wielded by those who are worthy."

A deafening screeching noise rang throughout the room. Simultaneously, everyone raised their hands to cover their ears.

"Worthy? No." A mechanical tone behind it, the voice belonged to one of Tony's robots, half dismantled and stumbling, "How could you be worthy? You're all killers."

"Stark," Steve looked over to Tony for an explanation.

"Jarvis," Tony called out. There was no response.

"I'm sorry, I was asleep. Or, I was a dream?" The robot continued its ramble, ignoring the Avengers' confusion.

"Reboot Legionnaire OS," Tony tapped his watch, "We got a buggy suit."

"There was a terrible noise, and I was tangled in- in strings. I had to kill the other guy. He was a good guy."

"You killed someone?"

"Wouldn't have been my first call," the robot shrugged, "But in the real world we're faced with ugly choices."

"Who sent you?" Thor picked up his hammer, ready to attack.

"'I see a suit of armor around the world'." Tony's voice played through the speakers of the machine.

"Ultron!"

"In the flesh. Or, no. Not this chrysalis. But I'm ready. I'm on a mission. For peace in our time."

The Iron Legion broke through the walls, flying towards us before we could fully process what was happening. When it clicked, I jumped out of the way of one coming at me, throwing my hands up to create a shield in front of me.

"This is why I always wear organic clothes," I groaned in frustration, wishing I hadn't let Nat convince me to wear what I was.

Peeking out from around the counter, I ran out. More focused on the robots behind me, I completely missed the one in front of me. After getting slightly tangled in a few wires, and slamming my head against a metal chest, I knew it was Ultron.

Slamming my fists together, gold light surrounded them, creating two discs. I pulled back my hands, ready to destroy him. Before I had the chance, an Iron Legion suit grabbed my arm and threw me back into one of the tables. I groaned, rolling onto my side.

"Wouldn't you be fun to study," Ultron mused, standing over my hurt form. He turned away, to the rest of the Avengers,"That was dramatic. I'm sorry, I know you mean well. You just didn't think it through. You want to protect the world, but you don't want it to change. How is humanity saved if it's not allowed to evolve? With these puppets? There's only one path to peace. The Avengers' extinction."

Recovering from being thrown into the table, I lunged for Ultron. With a solid hit to the main wires holding him together, he fell apart, silent. I leaned back on my hands, relieved it was over. Until his voice played through the speakers.

"There are no strings on me..."

~*~

"Atreya, the Iron Legion hits hard," I groaned, running a hand over my sore shoulder.

"Ultron cleared everything. All of our work is gone."

"He's been in everything. FIles, surveillance. Probably knows more about us than we know about each other," Nat pointed out.

"He's in your files, he's in your internet. What if he decides to access something a little more exciting?" Rhodey questioned.

"Nuclear codes," Maria realized, "He said he wanted us extinct."

"He also said he killed somebody," Clint added.

"He was talking about Jarvis," I sighed, trying not to focus on how much my body ached, "We haven't heard anything from him since Ultron first revealed himself. When has that ever happened?"

Tony tapped his holopad, and an image of Jarvis' mainframe popped up, in shambles.

"Jarvis was the first line of defense. He would've shut Ultron down. It makes sense."

"No, Ultron could have assimilated Jarvis. This isn't strategy. This is rage."

Thor stalked in, clad in his Asgardian armor. He grabbed Tony by the throat, pushing him back until he was against the wall.

"Come on. Use your words buddy," Tony encouraged, completely calm.

"I have more than enough words to describe you Stark," Thor growled, eyes sparking with fury.

"Thor, the legionnaire," Steve brought Thor's attention away from Tony.

"Trail went cold about a hundred miles out but it's headed north, and it has the scepter. Now we have to retrieve it, again."

"I don't understand," Cho stated, "You built this program. Why is it trying to kill us?"

Tony began laughing. Bruce shook his head, subtly trying to get him to stop.

"You think this is funny?"

"No. It's probably not, right? Is this very terrible? Is it so...It is. It's so terrible."

"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't mess around with the scepter," I frowned, not amused, "It holds an Infinity Stone, you think that that's a play toy? No. It isn't. You humans never understand when to stop."

"Humans?" Tony turned to me, "I hate to break it to you princess but you're as human as the rest of us. You say we're bad, but you do the same stuff we do. Why not just go back home? Oh, isn't it because you have  _no_  relationship with your family?"

My breath hitched in my throat. I knew Stark was halfway to being drunk. All of us were, and Tony was always harder to handle when he was drunk, but his words still hurt. Especially now, right after what had happened when I tried to call my parents.

"Tony," Bruce voice was full of warning, "You shouldn't be-"

"So that's it? Everytime someone snarls you roll over and show your belly?"

"Only when I've created a murder bot."

"We didn't. We weren't even close. Were we close to an interface?"

"Well you did something right," Steve spoke up, looking ready to punch Tony in the face, "And you did it right here. The Avengers were supposed to be different than SHIELD."

"Anybody remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole? Saved New York? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space. We're standing three hundred feet below it. We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the livelong day, but, that up there? That's the end game. How were you planning on beating that?"

"Together," Steve said, no doubt in his voice.

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll do that together too...Ultron's calling us out. And I'd like to find him before he's ready for us. The world's a big place. Let's start making it smaller."

~*~

"He's all over the globe. Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs, reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place," Maria stared down at her pad, looking over all of the reports coming in from around the world, "Fatalities only when engaged. Mostly guys going on about worst fears and something too fast to see."

"The Maximoffs," I stated the obvious, "It makes sense that he would go to them. They're lost, in pain. They're desperate for revenge."

"Yeah, and there's this," Maria held up a photo of Strucker's dead body, the word PEACE written on the wall in his own blood.

The Avengers slowly congregated around the photo, shocked that Ultron would do something so bold.

"Why send a message when you've just given a speech?" Nat questioned, crossing her arms.

"Because Strucker knew something that Ultron wanted us to miss," Steve realized, "Everything we had on Strucker is most likely wiped from the system."

"Not everything," Tony motioned for the team to follow him.

Into the cramped elevator and down to the basement. I had never been down there before, there was more than one basement after all, and this was storage. Inside, was row upon row of boxes. Each one was likely filled with numerous files.

"(Y/n)?" Tony turned to me, smiling cheekily.

"Of course," I muttered tiredly, racking my brain for a summoning spell, "Not sure how this will work so you might want to step back."

"I believe in you," Steve smiled encouragingly.

Focusing on the hand motions present in my mind's eye, my hands were prompted to follow them.  Motion after motion, the name Strucker stayed at the forefront of my thoughts. Finalizing the spell, I let out a breath, drained.

"Alright, we can do this in groups since there's no way all of us are fitting in an elevator with these," Tony motioned to the carts of boxes that had been pulled out of the masses, "Thor and Clint, you go first."

Thor and Clint pulled a few of the carts with them on to the elevator, heading up. When the elevator beeped, Nat and Bruce went up next.

"Cap and Maria, you two can head up next," Tony said casually, as if it wasn't strange for me and Steve to not be paired together.

"Alright," Steve seemed surprised at the request, but went along with it all the same, trusting that whatever Tony needed me for would work out.

Steve and Maria went next, and I was stuck in an awkward silence with Tony while we waited for the elevator. I wasn't entirely sure what I should say because of our little argument earlier, which made it even more awkward because both of us were aware of the awkwardness.

"I think I should say sorry for what I said earlier," Tony finally spoke as we were pushing the carts into the elevator, "I know what it's like to have family issues and it was a low blow."

"You're forgiven," I said almost immediately, "I've learned it's best to move on...And I know what I can be somewhat hypocritical? I'm using that word correctly, right?"

After a nod in confirmation from Tony I continued, "I talk as if I am above humans, and honestly there are some areas in life which I think I am. I understand things humans don't, I open the door while others look through the keyhole. But there are areas, where I'm just like them. I fight, and search for conflict, and I find myself thinking more and more like humans."

"We aren't that bad, are we?" Tony tried to lighten the mood with a small joke.

"Not usually," I smiled slightly, "But being raised so differently, so many human ideals are different than my own. The alien who's too human, and the human who's too alien. The worst of both worlds."

"Trust me kid, I've got some experience in feeling like you don't belong," I jumped when Tony slapped his hand on my shoulder, "You get used to it."

Pushing the carts into the main area, we met with the others, who had already delved into their research.

"Everything good between you two?" Steve asked me as I sat down next to him.

"Yeah," I thought over the confessions I just gave to Tony. We were more similar than I realized in the past. It was nice being able to talk to someone, "Everything's great."

 


	15. Bad But Not

"Wait, I know this one," I held up a file with Ulysses Klaue on the front, "He works off of the African coast, black market stuff." I noticed the strange looks everyone was giving me, "I had a mission against him once, impersonated his right-hand. He was always talking about some big game changer."

"What's this?" Thor asked, motioning to a mark on Klaue's neck, "It looks like a brand."

Bruce put the picture on a scanner, isolating the image and running it through a wide database of symbols, whether people had been branded by them before or not. After only a few moments of waiting, a match popped up.

"It's a word in an African dialect meaning thief," he explained, eyes squinting at the screen, "In a much less friendly way."

"What dialect?"

"Wakanada? Wa- Wakanda."

Steve and Tony shared a concerned look, "If this guy got out of Wakanda with some of their trade goods..."

"I thought your father said he got the last of it."

"What comes out of Wakanda?"

"The strongest metal on Earth," everyone looked at Steve's shield.

"Helk nersh."

~*~

"I haven't shifted into a man in a while," I mumbled to myself, blocking out the memory of Bucky nearly killing me on the helicarrier. I was currently Pietro, waiting for my cue to step in and join the fight.

_"(Y/n) now!"_

I jumped down a level, easily avoiding Wanda's magic. She wouldn't hurt her twin brother after all. Stepping in front of the woman, I swiped her legs out from under her. She hit the metal floor with a loud slam, taking a few seconds to recover.

"Pietro, what are you-" She stopped speaking, smirking when she realized who I really was. I took a step back when she stood up, gold discs surrounding my hands.

"You don't have to do this Wanda," I stated, keeping my guard up, "We can help you."

"I don't need help from murderers," Wanda waved her hand, red light flowing through her fingers. When I wasn't thrown back or injured, I lowered my hands in confusion, "Sweet nightmares."

_The world around me melted away. I was no longer on the abandoned ship. I wasn't sure where I was for a few moments. But looking at the two moons rising, and the sun setting, told me what I needed to know. I was back home, in the garden._

_The sweet smell of Danflorn flowers flowed up and into my nose. The steady breeze had carried it. Along with the breeze came a new scent, smoke. I turned towards the smell, gasping in horror. The palace was on fire, burning so hot it was blue. The stone was crumpling slowly to the ground._

_"Glorious isn't it?"_

_I whipped around, eyes wide in shock. Loki was in front of me, arms crossed, scepter and eyes glowing bright blue._

_"I told you I would rule a planet (Y/n). You took Earth away from me so I'm taking Orveon away from you. I'm burning everything you knew to ashes, so we can build a new empire. Together."_

_"No," I took a few steps back, nearly wiping out on an exposed tree root, "This isn't you. This is the twisted version you became with the Chitauri. This isn't real."_

_"Isn't it?" Loki disappeared, reappearing in front of me, "You're my queen, and there is no escape from us."_

_Loki's eyes seemed especially blue when he said 'us'._

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

_At least seven platoons of Chitauri soldiers came up behind Loki. Their combined stomps shook the ground beneath me. Loki began to laugh joyously, waving his hand to the soldiers. Eight stepped forwards, dropping limp bodies to the ground._

_"No," I whimpered, "How...Why?"_

_Bruce, Nat, Clint, Tony, Thor, and my three family members made up the pile of dead bodies. They were bloody, near unrecognisable. Steve wasn't there. Did he live? Where was he?_

_Not being able to handle the smell of blood in the air, I turned and ran. I ran past the fiery remains of the castle, past the hills, past the village. I ran until my lungs felt as though they would implode, until the irony smell I had tried to escape became a taste in my throat._

_"(Y/n), hey, hey. Slow down," a soothing voice caught my attention, strong arms wrapping around my figure, "I have a quinjet ready. We can go back to Earth. Leave all this behind, forget it."_

_"Steve," I sobbed in relief, clutching onto his uniform shirt, "He burned my planet, he killed my family. I can't just leave everything else to be destroyed. I need to go back, we can fight them, together."_

_"Why can't you leave Orveon behind?" Steve's voice became dark, angry, "You never felt like you belonged. Now you want to stay? You really don't belong anywhere."_

_"Steve?" I pulled away from the man, lip quivering. How right was he? It seemed as though I wasn't_ **_able_ ** _to belong. I didn't belong anywhere._

_"Too alien for humans too human for aliens right?" Steve laughed bitterly, "I don't know what I saw in you. You shifted into Peggy. You manipulated me, created a relationship on lies and deception. I could never love someone like you."_

_"Steve it's not what you think," I fell to my knees, sobs rising in my chest again, "I didn't want to hurt you. I didn't know what I was doing. Romance was so new to me-"_

_"What you did was unforgivable," Steve interrupted me, "I never loved you anyways. You were a distraction. I loved Peggy, it was always Peggy."_

_"Steve wait!" I reached out for the man as he disappeared into the trees, but it was too late. He was gone, and I was alone again._

_BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!_

_I lowered my head in defeat as the marching neared me. I was broken. There was no point in fighting back. Not anymore. Overonians were made to be docile anyways, to never fight. Strange, that in the breaking of my spirit, I became what I was born to be._

_"I told you, you can't run from me."_

_"(Y/n). (Y/n) come on, it's not real."_

I snapped up, breathing heavily. I looked down at myself in a panic, normal uniform. I looked around me. I was back on the ship. Nothing was on fire. None of that was real. In front of me was Steve, my Steve. Everything was normal.

"Steve," I whispered, jumping forward and clinging onto him tightly, "I thought you were gone. I was back home and everything was on fire. The Avengers and my family were dead. You- you told me you didn't love me."

Word vomit rose in my throat. I wanted to tell him that I shifted into Peggy. I  _had_  to tell him what I did. Even if he left me, called me a monster, he would be free from the lies I had held him down with. And I would be free from the chains I had created for myself.

"I dreamt that it was the forties again. I never got frozen, and I never met you," Steve revealed, stopping me before I could reveal what was perhaps my biggest regret, "It was so real, I forgot what was happening before it. But I knew something was wrong."

"Wait what happened?" I looked at our surroundings, "Why are we on the quinjet?"

 _"The news is loving you guys,"_ Maria popped up on screen. News reports around her. The Hulk got out of control and attacked the city. Most likely due to Wanda's power _, "Nobody else is. There's been no official cal for Banner's arrest, but it's in the air."_

"Stark Relief Foundation?"

_"Already on the scene. How's the team?"_

"Everyone's..." Tony looked around. Everyone was completely out of it, "We took a hit. We'll shake it off."

_"Well for now I'd stay in stealth mode, and stay away from here."_

"So run and hide?"

_"Until we can find Ultron, I don't have a lot else to offer."_

Tony sighed, "Neither do we."

~*~

Early the next morning we arrived and landed outside of the Barton farm. Despite the situation in which we were there, and my exhaustion from not sleeping, I still cracked a smile. I hadn't been to the Barton's in at least a year.

I stayed close to Steve as we exited, keeping an eye on Nat. That vision really shook me up, and it seemed to have done the same thing to Nat. When we entered, Clint called out for Laura.

"Honey, I'm home," Laura stepped out of the kitchen, "Sorry I didn't call ahead."

"This is an agent of some kind," Tony claimed, having trouble processing what was going on.

"This is Laura," Clint introduced.

Laura chuckled, "I already know all of your names."

Cooper and Lila ran out, cheering until they pulled their dad in for a hug.

"These are smaller agents..."

"Did you bring Nat and (Y/n)?"

"Why don't you hug them and find out?" Nat and I stepped forward. The two ran forwards, hugging each of us.

"Is it true you're an alien?" Cooper questioned, poking one of my scales.

"You bet I am," I ruffled his hair.

"Sorry for barging in but we had no idea you existed," Tony crossed his arms.

"Fury helped me set this up when I joined," Clint explained, "He kept it off SHIELD's files, and I'd like to keep it that way. I figure it's a good place to lay low."

"How's little Natasha?" Nat leant down to Laura's stomach.

"She's...Westley," Laura gave Nat an apologetic smile. I jumped in happiness. Clint said that Nat could pick the name if it was a girl, and I could pick the name if it was a boy. While I had proposed the name Valerian at first, I learned that it was a strange name for a Midgardian boy.

"Traitor," Nat whispered at Laura's stomach.

Loud footsteps stormed out of the house. I shivered, remembering the stomping of the Chitauri soldiers. When I turned though, I calmed down when I saw that it was just Thor. Steve and I followed after him, curious as to why he was leaving so abruptly.

"Thor?"

"I saw something in that dream. I need answers, I won't find them here," Thor gave each of us a nod, then swung his hammer and flew off.

"I should probably help Laura with dinner, I know she wasn't ready for all of us-" I shut my mouth as Steve tugged on my hand, "Where are you taking me?"

Without giving me an answer, he pulled me down a path that led into the forest. The kids always took it to a clearing so they could play swords in a clearing up ahead. My mind wandered back to my vision, but I knew Steve wouldn't bring me out here to do something like that.

"(Y/n), I was in love with Peggy seventy years ago, and when I came out of the ice, I still was. Until you came along and changed all of that. Being in love with Peggy, I've realized, is because she saw me as more than a scrawny kid. But you, you always saw me as more than what I thought I was, even when I felt like I was that scrawny kid again."

"Steve," my eyes were filling with tears. This moment was overwhelming, and the guilt I felt was rising substantially.

"That dream, my fear. It was a world without you. I don't want that to happen. You've supported me, fought with me, through everything. Even when my best friend tried to kill you," Steve chuckled slightly at that, "I want you in my world, this new life where anything can happen. The um, the ring is back at the tower. I was planning something different, but this seemed right. (Y/n), will you marry me?"

"Chon wurn," I swore, stunned. Even though Steve didn't have the ring, he was still down on one knee, "Steve...I can't say yes."

"What?" Steve stood up, grabbing my significantly smaller hands in his large ones, "(Y/n), I respect your answer, but, why?"

"Because all of this has been one big lie!" I cried out, everything I had been holding in for nearly two years bubbling over, "You asked me out because you had a dream about Peggy. She told you that you should move on, and you asked me out. But it was me, I shifted into Peggy, I danced with you. All because I didn't understand how Midgardians handled things like that. I ruined everything. Our relationship was formed on lies. Atreya, nersh, wurn!"

My hands ran through my hair, tugging harshly at the roots. Turning away, I continued to swear loudly, not knowing what else I could say that would push the situation past us.

"Hey, language," Steve grabbed my wrists to stop me from hurting myself. If the situation was different, I would have smiled at the fact that he knew some Orveonian, "(Y/n), look at me."

I shook my head frantically, staring at my shoes. I didn't want to see the disappointment on his face, the anger as he took back his proposal and did exactly what happened in the vision.

"(Y/n), I know what you did," that statement made me look up, wide and teary eyed, "When I came to your apartment the next morning, I noticed the shoes next to your door. They were the same ones Peggy wore."

"Why didn't you say anything?" I ran my sleeve under my nose, "You knew what I did, and you still asked me out?"

"Because I understood. Yes, you could have handled your feelings a lot better, but you did what you thought was right at the time. We all do things we regret (Y/n). While it did take you a while, you told me the truth. I've gotten over my anger."

"I love you," I pulled Steve into a long kiss, "I don't want you to leave me."

"Trust me (Y/n), I'm not going anywhere."

"Can we forget that this happened?" I questioned, "Just um, have a do-over at some point in the future? I ruined it a bit."

Steve chuckled, smiling gently, "Of course, I don't even have the ring afterall. This whole thing was bound to be weird."

~*~

I let out a sigh, searching for a change of clothes in the duffle bag I kept at the Barton's. Nat and I both had one, for when we were there by choice or not. The farm was a safe place for anyone and everyone who knew about it.

I finally decided on normal jeans and a t-shirt. The only organic clothes I had at the house were on me, unfortunately. Glancing out the window I smiled seeing Steve chopping wood outside. It was nice seeing everyone doing something to help out.

Hurrying down the stairs, I let out a gasp as my body bumped into Laura's. I checked her over, making sure that everything was okay.

"I'm pregnant, not glass," Laura giggled at my panic, "I saw you and the Captain off alone earlier. What was going on there?"

"He proposed to me," I stated simply, continuing before Laura could get excited, "But there was a situation, it went south but not in a bad way, well sort of in a bad way. Long story short, he'll try again later."

"Congratulations?" Laura seemed confused, but pulled me in for a hug all the same, "Have you seen the ring yet?"

"No, it's back at the tower. I'll send you a message when he proposes again. It's strange. I never thought I would get married. Or, if I did, it would be with someone my parents suggested on Orveon."

"Well even members of royal families should get a say in who they marry."

After a busy day helping out with random chores around the house, and preparing dinner for everyone, the Avengers were gathered in the dining room and kitchen. Fury, who had been staying with the Bartons, was going over the Ultron situation with us. I was helping Lila color a picture, simultaneously turning into anone Cooper said.

"Marilyn Monroe, Abe Lincoln, Spock, me, Harry Potter!"

"Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard."

I ruffled Cooper's hair, shifting back into my normal self and standing up. As Lila ran to show Nat the drawing of a butterfly we made together, I stood next to Steve, leaning against his sturdy form.

"Steve doesn't like that kind of talk," Nat smirked playfully.

"You know what, Romanoff?"

"I can't even swear in Orveonian around him," I added in, "He's figured out what the words mean."

"So what does Ultron want?" Fury brought our attention back to the task at hand.

"To be better. Better than us. He keeps building bodies."

"He's making  _human_  bodies," I stated, "No offense, but the human form is inefficient, biologically speaking. My form is almost entirely the same and I suffer many of the same limitations. Yet, for some reason, Ultron keeps coming back to it."

"Ultron's evolving," Bruce cut in, "He's going to keep evolving."

"How?"

"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?"

 


	16. Blatant Truths

"I'll take Natasha, Clint, and (Y/n)," Steve directed the statement towards Tony.

"Alright, strictly recon. I'll join you as soon as I can," Tony stated, his Iron Man armor forming around his body.

"If Ultron is really building a body-"

"He'll become more powerful than any of us. An android designed by a robot," (Y/n) agreed, "Truly devastating to humanity."

"You know, I really miss the days when the weirdest thing science ever created was me," Steve sighed in frustration.

"I'll drop Banner off at the tower," Fury joined the conversation, "Mind if I borrow Ms Hill?"

"She's all yours. What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. Something dramatic I hope," Fury shrugged casually.

I said goodbye to Laura and the two kids sooner than I would have liked, promising to visit again as soon as I could. I reminded Laura of the name suggestion I had, and she was able to get the baby to kick as we were leaving. After the goodbyes, the Avengers loaded onto the quinjet, taking off to South Korea where Cho's labs was located.

"Doctor Cho!"

The Doctor was propped up against a few of her cupboards, bleeding out from a wound on her stomach Steve knelt down beside her, using some towels that were lying around to stop the blood flow.

"The real power is inside the Cradle. The gem, its power is uncontainable. You can't just blow it up. You have to get the Cradle to Stark."

"Steve go and find Ultron," I lowered myself to my knees, "I can handle this. Stay safe."

Steve nodded at my orders, adjusting his shield on his arm and running off. I moved my hands above Cho's wound, casting a few of the spells that came to my mind that would help her. Healing and magic didn't work well together, there were laws you couldn't break unless you went dark.

"He talked about you," Cho winced, her hand grabbing mine, "He said you were a creature that he wanted. He wants your blood, your genes, he wants part of you in that body, so it can do what you do as well. After he got his body, he was going to come for you. You need to leave."

"I'm not going to leave you here," I insisted, heart racing with anxiety at the new development. I knew Ultron was interested in what I was, but I didn't think he would be willing to kidnap me.

"There's already help coming, you need to go, or he'll be even more powerful. Go!"

I rose to my feet hesitantly, giving Cho one last lookover before I ran out of the compound and onto the street. Raising my hand to the com in my ear, my eyes preened for any signs of Ultron in the sky.

"What do you guys got?"

_"A truck from the lab, crossing the highway."_

I jumped up, a shield forming under my feet. Pushing myself forward and onto the road with the traffic. The truck was relatively easy to find, disobeying normal traffic patterns. That and, Steve was already on top of it, the red white and blue uniform drawing my attention to him.

Ultron shot off the door Steve was hanging onto, making him fly off and onto the car behind him. While Ultron's attention was on Steve, I flew myself into the back, somersaulting so I didn't injure myself.

Immediately the smaller guard bots began shooting at me. I ducked out of the way, picking up a broken off pipe from one of the doors and swinging it against the bot. It hit the side of the truck, deactivating.

"I want her alive!" Ultron yelled, the shots coming towards me stopping.

 _"I'm right behind you (Y/n), go help Steve. He's on the train,"_ Nat yelled through the com. Bracing myself for what I knew was going to be a painful impact, I jumped out of the truck and onto the train Steve was fighting on.

I swiped my hand to the right, Ultron's metal body following the motion forcefully. His bright red eyes turned to me, narrowing.

"You are not of this world, and yet you-"

A blue streak ran past the robot, making him pause in his potential monologue. Two bars slammed down in an X in front of Ultron, stopping him from nearing me and Steve. The twins. Ultron regarded their betrayal for a moment, then flew out through the front of the train, hitting the driver on the way. I sprinted to the front, pointer and middle finger on the driver's neck. Dead. Swaying when the train jerked to the side, I groaned in frustration. We had turned down an unfinished track.

"How to stop this, how to stop this," I muttered to myself, flicking a few of the brake switches. The train swerved off of the tracks and into the town, "Wanda I need help!"

After my call for help, the train slowed down exponentially, the front window covered in a red mist. I looked back at the Sokovian girl, smiling. Grudges wouldn't help us defeat Ultron.

_CHHH_

Glass sprinkling over my face and hair, I screamed out in shock as a hand grabbed the back of my uniform, pulling me out of the train. I swung my hand behind me, trying to hit whatever had grabbed me. Hitting solid metal, I winced. Waving my hands in a few rapid motions, I attempted to aim a spell in the direction of Ultron's minion. Nothing, I missed.

"I'm caught!" I yelled into the com, struggling as it was ripped out of my ear and thrown to the ground.

A sharp hit to my temple knocked me out cold.

~*~

I was cold, waking up. Even though my race was better at regulating and handling more drastic temperatures. Freezing concrete was beneath my back, the low heat crawling down my spine.

"You were injected with a few paralyzing agents," Ultron's voice breached my ears, "I was hoping you'd wake up, I don't have anyone else now. And you, you have intrigued me. We're so similar, and yet we see humanity in two completely different lights."

"We are nothing alike," I grunted as I tried to move my legs, the limbs not registering the orders my brain was giving them, "You're a maniac, a murderer."

"And you are aren't?" Ultron laughed, "Yet, you stand out. More understanding of the dark side of humanity. I hacked into government files, surprising I know, they have your eye on you. Plans, ideas, theories."

"You're lying," I grit out, refusing to believe the blatant truth.

Even if there was a small part of me that knew the government of the time would never understand that I wasn't there to be experimented or to cause harm, the larger part of me understood that I was playing my cards right by protecting people, and I had options if they ever turned on me.

"I was not created to be a liar," Ultron sighed in disappointment, "I was created to help people see. I think a lot about meteors, the purity of them. Boom! The world made clean for the new man to rebuild. I was meant to be new. The world would've looked to the sky and seen hope, seen mercy. Instead they'll look up in horror because of the Avengers. They've, you've wounded me. I give you credit for that. But, like man said, 'What doesn't kill me-'"

Something reached out and tore Ultron apart. My body jerked slightly, the paralysis wearing off slightly. I scrunched up my nose, wiggling my fingers. The metal pieces of the dead Ultron fell to the ground, useless.

"'Just makes me stronger'," a new and improved Ultron stood proudly in front of me, a syringe in his hand. Putting all of my energy into moving my limbs, I cried out as my hand swatted the needle away, "So much will, but there's no use."

My body jerked one last time when the needle was stabbed into my neck. After that, everything went numb again. Internally screaming, I grunted in an attempt to move my- well, anything.

"I never did hear your answer. Why do you feel the need to help a race so far below your own? It can't be out of pure kindness."

"They aren't that far below my own, below me," I breathed out, the will to fight draining, "You and I, we're more comparable to them than both of us realize."

Ultron hummed, sliding his arms my legs and back. He moved me from the concrete toa large slab. It was painfully similar to an operation table.

"You tell me the government wants to experiment on me, yet you're doing the same thing," I laughed bitterly at the hypocrisy Ultron held.

"I suppose you're right," Ultron acknowledged what I said with no emotion, "I  _am_  a, what did you say? A maniac? At least I'm honest. Let the experiments begin."

Shutting my eyes tightly as to not see anything I didn't want to, I remembered back to my astral projection lessons. I never particularly excelled in that area, but I was average. And average was fine if it meant I could leave my body and get to the other Avengers.

A pulse ran through my body, its energy separating from the world around me. Another pull and I was out. Looking over the scene in front of me, I was relieved when I saw the only thing Ultron was doing at the moment was a blood sample. It would get worse, I was aware of that.

I pictured Stark Tower in my mind. The lights, the city, the people. I could feel my spirit being drawn towards it, just what I needed. As I flew above my current location, I stopped, eyes squinting to observe my surroundings. I had a general idea of where I was.

Allowing myself to be pulled again, I left my physical form. Nearing the large Avengers building I slowed down, phasing through the glass.

I arrived in the lab where Tony was tirelessly working. When he spotted me he swore loudly, dropping a glass beaker.

"How did you get here?" He questioned, hand over his heart, or rather, his arc reactor.

"I'm not really here. This is my astral form, my soul or spirit basically. The point is that I know where I am, and where Ultron is going to hit."

"Your astral form," Tony put a hand through my stomach, giggling. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Tony," I snapped, "There are more important things to focus on right now."

At this point, the other Avengers had come in to see what the big commotion was. Steve seemed elated when he saw me.

"(Y/n)," he ran towards me, running straight through me.

"Look, I don't have the time to explain what an astral form is and how I can do it. Ultron is in Sokovia, I don't know exactly where, but it's in a town with a church in the middle-"

"I know where that is, we met him there," Wanda cut in, not surprising me at all. I knew there was good in those kids, and I knew Steve was too good to deny them a place on the team.

"Good. Find me soon because he's starting experiments and I'm lucky to not feel the pain right now," I turned to Tony, glancing inside of the cradle, "And Tony, I'm not sure how this will turn out, but it's a good use for the stone."

With that I was pulled back, still numb and half conscious. Allowing myself the release of unconsciousness once again, I prayed to Atreya that the Avengers would make it in time. For me, and for Earth.

 


	17. Enamored Ignorance

When I woke up I felt less numb. My legs were sore, and when I squinted, I could see a few tears and small holes. Most of his blood drawing and other experiments- that I completely blacked out for- must have taken place there. An easy target.

Upon further observation of my surroundings I noticed I wasn't on the operation table anymore. I was behind bars, in a makeshift prison area. Boxes were stacked around me, the lighting dim but present all the same.

"Okay legs," I began to wiggle my toes, then my feet, "Any day now. I need to get out of her."

Over the course of the next few minutes I managed to move up to my hips. With my lower body being relatively okay, I stood, falling over almost immediately.

"Nersh, why did I think that was a good idea?" I asked myself, slowly getting up again, this time, using the wall as my support. It went a lot better that time around.

"(Y/n)! Oh thank God you're alright," Steve sprinted into the room and towards me, hands gripping the bars that seperated us.

"You found me," I whispered in relief, stumbling over to the man I loved.

"Was there ever any doubt?" Steve's lips stretched into a cocky smile. I rolled my eyes, smiling all the same.

"Never. I'm still regaining feeling in my body. What I can feel hurts more than that morning when, well, you know what I'm speaking of. Anyways, can you help me figure out a way to get out of her? Something tells me I should save my energy for the fight."

"Yeah, right," Steve walked along the path of the bars, stopping at the end. He slammed his shield against a large padlock, shattering it almost instantly, "There we go. You good to run?"

"Yeah I think so," I took a few cautionary steps, looping my arms through Steve's just to be safe, "We can't stop saving the world either way. Let's go."

Though running was a bit slow going at first, Steve and I made good time to the city. The other Avengers were already there and escorting the civilians out of the city. Steve pulled a com out of his pocket, handing it to me so I could communicate with the team.

"Chon wurn," I cried out as the entire city began to shake, lifting off of its foundations and into the air, "Stark, what's happening?"

_"Ultron is lifting the city with a vibranium core in the center. If this thing drops we're talking thousands dead, the numbers raising as long as we're getting higher,"_ Tony gave the grave report.

"What's the plan Steve?" I threw my hands out, creating twin discs around them. There seemed to be a break in the attacks, with only a few stragglers here and there, but I knew that there were going to be more waves.

"Not sure," Steve chucked his shield at an oncoming robot, "Keep the people safe and destroy these bots for now."

"Good plan," I spotted a few bots rounding people up in the square, "Shield!"

Steve knelt down with his shield in front of him. Taking a running start I landed my feet on the shield. Pushing it up, Steve propelled me into the air. Creating a shield under myself may have been less risky, but it took away the chance of using other spells in the process. And, having Steve launch me into the air was kind of fun.

Letting out a battle cry, I flew through the center of the robots, taking out as many as I could reach. When the momentum began to wear out, that was when I created a shield under myself.

_"Stark, you worry about bringing the city back down safely,"_  Steve's orders came through,  _"The rest of us have one job: tear these things apart. You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed, walk it off."_

"Highly inspirational," I complimented, stepping up behind him and Nat near the edge, "Fit for a king Steve."

"Just Captain is good for me," Steve breathed out, tired from all of the fighting, "The next wave's gonna hit any minute. What have you got, Stark?"

_"Well, nothing great. Maybe a way to blow up the city. That'll keep it from impacting the surface if you guys can get clear."_

"You're suggesting we  _destroy_  Sokovia?"

_"Not all of it,"_  was Tony's weak reply,  _"Look, the impact radius is getting bigger every second. We're going to have to make a choice."_

"These people are going nowhere," Nat added in, voice pleading, "Everyone up here versus everyone down there? There's no math there."

"I'm not leaving this rock with one civilian on it."

"No one said anything about leaving," I put a hand on Steve's shoulder, "I can see if I can make a few large shields, assist people down to the ground. There are less honorable ways to go. Besides, the view here reminds me of home."

_"Glad you like the view Altovar, because it's about to get a whole lot better."_  Fury, inside of an old helicarrier, flew up to the floating city,  _"Nice, right? I pulled her out of mothballs with a couple of old friends. She's dusty, but she'll do."_

"Fury you son of a bitch," Steve swore, grinning.

_"You kiss your girlfriend with that mouth?"_

Lifeboats deployed from the top and sides of the helicarrier, flying and docking at the city. Hiding citizens picked up that this was a rescue and ran out to them, loading up.

"This is SHIELD?" Pietro ran up to join our small group.

"This is what it's supposed to be."

Pietro smiled slightly, nodding in approval, "This, this is not so bad."

_"We're out of time. They're coming for the core,"_  Thor warned.

_"Avengers, time to work for a living."_

"You heard the man," Nat began to run towards the center of the city, Steve and I following her lead.

The other Avengers were joining Tony at the core as well. Everyone was all charged up and ready to fight. Even Banner was hulked out, which I suspected was Nat's doing.

"If Ultron gets a hand on the core, we lose," Tony shot the last of the bots that had been hanging around the church.

"Is that the best you can do?" Thor shouted to Ultron as he flew near.

Ultron seemed to smirk, raising his arms to reveal his large army. Steve sent Thor an exasperated look.

"This is the best I can do. This is exactly what I wanted. All of you, against all of me. How could you possibly hope to stop me?"

"Like the old man said. Together."

Hulk roared. I stretched my hands out and created a whip. Everyone else shifted into their battled forms. We were ready.

The robots charged. Tony took off to handle the skies, but that didn't mean we were helpless by any means. Formed in a tight circle around the core, each member of the Avengers guarded the others' backs, hitting when they needed a second to recover.

I was taking out at least three robots at a time. The discs were more of a comfort because I used them better and felt more in control, but, I had to admit, the whip was a great weapon for large masses of opponents.

"You know, with the benefit of hindsight-" Hulk knocked Ultron away from the church and across the city.

The other bots seemed to sense that their side was losing. In a human-like panic, they scrambled to get away and leave Sokovia.

"We gotta move out. Even I can tell the air is getting thin. You guys get to the boats, I'll sweep for stragglers, be right behind you," Steve ordered.

"What about the core?"

"I'll protect it," Wanda volunteered,"It's my job."

"I'm coming with you," I jogged to catch up with Steve as he walked away.

"What? No. It was risky even making you fight, you're still recovering from what Ultron did to you."

"Steve, I'm coming," my tone said this argument was final, "There's no way I'm letting you go off alone without me. We can be alone together."

"No really how that works, but alright," Steve dropped his hesitance so we could focus.

We ran through the city, leading any stragglers to the carrier. When all of the civilians seemed to be off, we checked in with the team one last time. All of them were either already on a lifeboat or on their way, allowing me and Steve to get on one as well.

As our boat was taking off, there was a strange sinking feeling in my stomach. It worsened until it turned into pain. I gasped out, grabbing onto Steve's arm. He grabbed onto me in response, leading me to a seat.

"Something's wrong," I whispered, pressing the com, "Guys, what's going on?"

"It's Pietro," Clint's voice was out of breath, strained, "I was helping a kid out of the city and one of Ultron's robots came by. He- he moved us out of the way and got killed instead."

"Oh Atreya," my head fell into my hands, "It was Wanda, that was the pain. SHe knows Pietro is dead."

Steve kissed my temple, stroking my back soothingly, "He was a good kid. He didn't deserve that. But he died a hero, doing the right thing."

"May his soul rise to the stars, and join the heroes in Blaszun," I looked up to the sky, catching Sokovia's demise, "It's over."

"Your Majesty," Vision dropped down in front of me, "I have located and destroyed the last robot belonging to Ultron."

"That's something you should report to him," I motioned to Steve, "And you can call me (Y/n)."

"Yes, normally I would report that to the Captain," Vision nodded to Steve to acknowledge his presence, "Before I destroyed what remained of Ultron, he asked me to tell you something."

"And what is that?"

"He told me to tell you've become so enamoured with the uniqueness of humans, including love, that you've refused to acknowledge just how much darkness they can hold."

"Oh," I leant back in my seat a little. Processing the information that was just given to me. Ultron may have been a monologuing villain worthy of an old movie, but he had a point. There were a lot of things this experience brought to my attention, and I needed to find a place I could figure things out, "Thank you for informing me Vision."

~*~

"The rules have changed," Steve claimed as we walked along with Tony and Thor.

Everyone had settled down in the weeks following Ultron. Clint had retired, Laura had her baby- Wesley Pietro Barton. Nat pretended to be upset for about a minute before caving- Wanda mourned and took steps to move on, and all of the Avengers seemed to pick up shop and move to a new facility in upstate New York.

"Vision can lift it."

"A machine."

"So it doesn't count."

"An elevator has the ability to lift the hammer into the air as well," I added with a laugh.

"If he can wield the hammer, he can keep the Mind Stone. It's safe with the Vision and these days, safe is in short supply. I'm going to miss these little talks of ours," Thor chuckled.

"You could always stay," Tony offered.

"I have no choice. The Mind Stone is the fourth of the Infinity Stones to show up in the last few years. That's not a coincidence. Someone has been playing an intricate game and has made pawns of us."

"You think you can find out what's coming?"

"I do. Besides this one, there's nothing that can't be explained," Thor took a step forwards to summon the Bifrost, before he could however, I jogged forwards.

"Thor," I stopped the Asgardian from leaving, "He'd be proud you know.  _Our_  Loki."

"Yes, I suppose he would," Thor ruffled my hair, earning a punch on the arm, "He's be even happier to know you are 'sort of' engaged."

"If you ever need a place to rest while you're travelling, my parents would love to host you on Orveon."

"Thank you for the offer. Stay well (Y/n)," I stepped back and allowed Thor to leave.

"That man has no regard for lawn maintenance," Tony sighed as we walked back towards the facility, "I'm gonna miss him though. And you're gonna miss me. There's gonna be a lot of manful tears."

"We will miss you Tony," Steve and I assured the man.

"Yeah? Well, it's time for me to tap out. Maybe I should take a page out of Barton's book and build Pepper a farm, hope nobody blows it up. You two should do the same, what with you getting married at some point and all. Which, I assure you, will be the party of the century."

Steve and I shared a concerned look at that statement. Even if we weren't really engaged, and hadn't started planning a wedding, word had spread and moral was higher over it, so we ran with it and allowed the others to talk about it.

"Family, stability," Steve mumbled with a smile.

"Stay safe Stark, or, alive at the very least," I waved goodbye as Tony stepped into his car and left.

After Tony was gone as well, Steve and I walked back inside to find Nat and start training the new Avengers. All was silent, but my mind was bustling. I bit my lip, glancing up at Steve while sighing.

"You wanna tell me what you're thinking about me?" Steve's eyes met mine, a teasing smile spreading across his lips.

I sighed again, louder this time. He knew me too well, "I talked to a few contacts. They told me about this place, Kamar-Taj. It's one of the places the sorcerers of Earth congregate, the Sorcerer Supreme is there as well. I want to go, travel, clear my head. A lot has happened and it's made me realize I have a lot to learn about magic and who I am."

"I understand," Steve assured me, his large hand finding my significantly smaller one, "I felt the same way before I was Captain America. This is something you want to do alone, and I won't stop you. Just promise to stay in touch."

"All of you would kill each other if I didn't," I grinned, spotting Nat, "Thank you for understanding."

You want to keep staring at the wall, or do you want to go to work?"

"It's a pretty interesting wall," Nat replied sarcastically, her gaze shifting to us, "What do we got?"

"Some people with good potential," I stated, pushing open the doors to the training center, "But they aren't a team."

"Let's beat 'em into shape."

Rhodey, Sam, Wanda, and Vision gathered around the three of us, ready to learn how to become an Avenger.

"Avengers..."

 


	18. Time Off

"You sure the team will be alright with only two trainers for a while?" I held tightly onto Steve, not wanting to step onto the quinjet ready to take me to Tibet.

"It sounds like you don't want to go," Steve chuckled, kissing me lightly, "Coming up with all of these excuses."

"I suppose I am a bit nervous," I admitted, tugging at my sleeve, "The Sorcerer Supreme is known by magic users across the universe, for me to go and train with her is a huge honor. More than meeting Odin for the first time, and he's the king of the Nine Realms."

"You'll do great," Steve assured me, hands rubbing my arms in a comforting motion, "Even though I don't know a lot of people who can use magic, you're amazing at it. You said yourself that you need time to think over everything that has been going on. Take this chance alright?"

"Okay," I sighed in defeat, leaning up and connecting my lips with Steve's again, kissing him goodbye, "I'll be back soon, hopefully. I'll keep you updated. I love you."

"I love you too," Steve mumbled.

"Hey, you gonna hog (Y/n) for yourself?" Nat and the others walked down the path towards the quinjet, "We wanna say goodbye too."

"You gonna give her a kiss?" Steve sassed, smiling all the same.

"Maybe," Nat pulled me in for a hug, chuckling, "Stay alive out there, alright? It won't be the same without you."

"I was assuming it wasn't, but I'm not the only one who isn't a natural color anymore," I motioned to Vision.

"I thought you would want to have this," Wanda held out one of my spellbooks, "The motions depicted did help me with control. Thank you for letting me borrow it."

"Of course Wanda," I pulled the girl into a hug, "Don't be afraid to contact me if you need help with anything. I will miss you all."

"Love you," Steve repeated one last time as I was stepping onto the quinjet.

As the door was closing I waved goodbye, stepping back when I could no longer see the others. I moved up to the cockpit, inputting the coordinates for one of the airports in Tibet. Tony had contacted them and they were allowing me to land and keep the quinjet there.

The trip there was really quite peaceful. Because the ship was on autopilot I was able to relax and sleep. After a small nap I ate a snack that had been packed, and read through my spellbooks. There was a small part of me that wanted to pull out the communicator at the bottom of my bag and talk to my parents, but I resisted the urge.

_"We are now landing."_

"Smooth trip," I let out a sigh of relief at the simple fact. Things always seemed to go wrong in one way or another, so a smooth ride to Nepal was wonderful.

I grabbed my bags and slung one over my shoulder, the other rolling behind me as I opened up the ship. A few workers were already there waiting to greet me and such. Tony had that effect on people.

"Heb-bar kaa-su-shu," the workers greeted in unison.

"Gong-to delek," I smiled back, thankful I decided to learn a bit of Tibetan for this trip.

The workers led me through the airport and to the front where a car was waiting for me. A hotel had been booked for the night. Hopefully, the next morning I would find Kamar-Taj and stay there for the rest of my trip. If I didn't it would mean having to call Tony and booking a hotel room again. The stress of that was something I wanted to avoid.

"Tujay-chay," I thanked all of the workers before getting into the car.

While it wasn't a limo, the car was private, and it took me straight to the hotel. There I was greeted by workers in english. They seemed ecstatic to have an Avenger staying in their hotel, even if it was a bit soon after Sokovia. My bags were taken to my room for me and I was assured that room service would be available at any time. The sense of royal treatment loomed over me. Ironic.

Once in my room I didn't do much with it. Looking over the room service menu I was provided, I winced at the high prices listed. It wasn't worth it, that was for sure. Putting some of my essential items into an across body bag, I left the hotel to wander the city in search of Kamar-Taj. The sooner I found it the better.

As I was taking the elevator down to the main floor, I made a split second decision to shift into someone I passed by in the airport. Going out in public as my normal, purple, self would draw a lot of attention I didn't want or need. The Avengers were a controversial subject at the moment.

"You'd think my spellbooks would have a location spell for Kamar-Taj," I mumbled to myself, overwhelmed by all of the people in the streets.

Vendors were shouting out to passerbys, desperate to sell their items. Children were running in circles, laughing and playing make believe. Pedestrians talked loudly, each one preening to be heard over the others. Every once in a while a pet would pass through.

"Wandering aimlessly isn't going to get me anywhere," I stepped into a side alley to get some form of quiet and to come up with a plan, "Maybe I should just go back to the hotel. If I astral project I could cover more of the city in less time."

"Look what we have here."

"Wurn," I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. The last thing I needed was for some thugs to follow me. I just arrived in Nepal for goodness sakes!

"How about you uh, give us your bag and we'll have a little fun with you," one of the goons suggested, chuckling and nudging one of his friends. There were four of them, two were a bit bigger than the others, but the smaller ones were both holding knives.

"Not going to happen you nersh," I threw out my hands, my classic discs forming around them. The thugs seemed a bit hesitant at that, but they were more determined than I gave them credit for.

"You think some fancy lights are going to scare us?"

"God, you men can be so dense sometimes," without another word I ran forwards.

Immediately disarming the two with weapons by striking their hands, I toe kicked one of the largest ones. He staggered back and hit the wall, holding his most likely dislocated jaw. Ducking under a rough punch from the other large one, I used the lower leverage and sliced behind his knees with my discs. That was two down.

"Oh wurn," I cried out in pain, staggering when a cool knife slid into the skin and muscle of my shoulder.

"How unhonorable," a smooth voice flowed through the alley, "Attacking your opponent from behind. You aren't even the one fighting for your life."

A cloaked figure calmly walked into the alley, a large basket on their arm. I couldn't discern much because of the shadows caused by the hood, but I could tell that it was a woman stepping in to help me.

"What are you gonna do about it?" The man who stabbed me yanked the knife out of my shoulder, pointing it at the woman.

"Much more than you think I would," a glowing tessen appeared in the woman's hands. Even in my pained state, I had the strength to widen my eyes in shock. She was a magic user.

Within a minute she had the two smaller men unconscious on the ground, bruised and bloodied. She still had the basket on her arm, nothing spilled from it. The two larger men seemed to stir a bit. Rearing back my leg I kicked both of them in the temple, knocking them out cold again.

"Come, allow me to treat you," the woman put a comforting hand on the good side of my back.

"Wait, I can't," I gasped as my natural form came out, the blood on my clothes and the knife turning a deep violet, "I can't go onto the streets like this. This can't hit the news."

"I never said anything about the streets my dear," lifting one of her hands, the other traced a circle in the air. The blank alley wall was covered by an image of a temple, "After you."

I cautiously stepped through the glowing circle, the pain in my shoulder pushing me past any hesitations. There was no way this woman would harm me, not after she found out I was an Avenger. Injured or not.

"Who are you? Where am I?" I looked around the contemporary room I was in. It was relatively large and empty, with paper walls and sliding doors.

"I believe the better question is who are  _you_ ," the woman pulled of her hood and set down her basket, revealing her bare head and gentle smile, "That is what you came here to find out, is it not?"

"This is Kamar-Taj?"

"Not all of it, but yes."

"So that means you-" I couldn't finish my sentence, cutting myself off with a wince as I moved my arm slightly.

"Yes of course. Mordo," a dark skinned man stepped inside of the room, "Gather some first aid supplies please, our guest is injured."

"Of course, Ancient One."

"Oh Atreya," I whispered, sitting down in one of the chairs that had appeared in the room, "I made it to Kamar-Taj? All because I was careless and got myself stabbed?"

"You have a strong connection to the arts, you would have found it soon enough," Ancient One sat down as well, pouring two cups of tea, "You have a particularly high pain tolerance, being stabbed in the shoulder is quite serious."

"You tend to get one when you've been fighting deadly battles for six years straight."

"Here you are Ancient One," Mordo rushed into the room, a hefty box in his hands.

"Thank you Mordo," Ancient One began to pull out everything she would need to patch me up.

"Kaecilius got into a bit of a fight with one of the other instructors again," Mordo informed his higher up.

Ancient one motioned for me to adjust my shirt. Grimacing while doing so, I shifted, my jacket turning into a tank top. She poured rubbing alcohol onto a cloth, holding it against my shoulder. After the wound was disinfected, she began to expertly wrap bandages around it.

"I assumed he would. I shall deal with that dilema after this one, give us just a moment and you can show (Y/n) to her room," Mordo stood silently to the side, watching with muted interest, "I know you are eager to learn, to explore who you are and what you have yet to learn, but tonight, you should rest. Someone shall retrieve your bags and drop them off at your room."

"Thank you Ancient One," I bowed my head in respect, "I wish we could have met under better circumstances, ones where I wasn't bleeding out."

Ancient One chuckled, "The universe has an interesting way of pushing people together."

After that, Mordo walked me out of the larger room and down a few hallways. Kamar-Taj was larger than I thought it would be, and I knew it would only continue to amaze me.

"This is where you'll be staying, a bathroom is connected," Mordo stopped in front of another sliding door, "I shall retrieve your bags. Oh, you might want this as well."

He handed me a small card with the word 'Shambala' written across it, "The wifi password. We aren't animals after all."

"Thank you," I smiled brightly.

"Of course," Mordo seemed to hesitate as he went to leave, "I know you have prior experience with magic, most likely, you are better than I am. Understand that the Ancient One has no intention of sugar coating anything, or making things easy for you."

"Good, I despise being fed from a silver spoon."

Satisfied with my answer, Mordo left, presumably to get my bags from my hotel. I hadn't told them where I was staying, but something told me they'd easily be able to find out.

After cleaning up and washing off the dried blood on me, I stepped back into my room and grinned at the two bags waiting for me. I changed into a pair of pajamas and laid down in the bed. It felt too small, too cold without Steve. One night away and I already missed him more than anything.

The time difference was throwing me off. A part of me was so exhausted from my long day of travelling and exploring that I wanted to fall asleep right then and there, and another part of me wanted to stay up, knowing it wasn't my normal time to go to bed. I finally decided to call Steve, it would have been around 12 in the afternoon there, meaning I wasn't disturbing him.

"Hey, how's Nepal?"

"It hasn't been great so far," I sighed tiredly, "Someone tried to mug me and I got stabbed in the shoulder, but I found Kamar-Taj! The Ancient One sort of saved my kif."

"Hang on, you got  _stabbed_? I know I was sort of pushing this trip but maybe you should come home."

"I appreciate your concern Steve, but I'm fine. It's more of a flesh wound than anything," my shoulder pulsed, as if punishing me for my lie, "Besides, I just got to Kamar-Taj, and the Ancient One is willing to teach me. This place might be safer than the facility in all honesty, the majority of the world, of the universe, has no idea where it is."

"I guess that makes sense," Steve still seemed hesitant to drop it, "Just...I don't know what I'd do if something were to happen while you were so far away."

"Fly across the world to save me?" I questioned with a chuckle, yawning immediately after, "It's twelve at night over here, and I'm exhausted. Goodnight Steve."

"Night (Y/n)."

I ended the phone call, lying back against the pillows. The flight may have been smooth, but the day definitely wasn't. I was right for saying that nothing could ever go smoothly.

~*~

The next morning I awoke slowly, constantly closing and opening my eyes in a debate on whether or not I wanted to go back to sleep. Eventually, I opened my eyes and kept them open, slowly getting out of bed.

"So I really did get stabbed in the shoulder," I gently pressed my palm against the thick bandages, wincing in pain when it throbbed.

I went through my normal morning routine with a slow excitement, having to take extra care of my shoulder. Organic clothes took up the majority of my suitcase, but there were a few things made at home that weren't organic. We had little to no reason to shapeshift at home, and organic clothes weren't super popular.

"I haven't worn something like this in years," I pulled on the flowy pants and tunic. I wore them often when training back home.

Stepping out of my room I travelled down the hallways Mordo brought me through the night before. I was thankful I could remember where the large training room was, otherwise I'd most likely get lost.

"Planning on beginning your training without breakfast?' Ancient One approached me with a tray in her hands, "That is very ill-advised."

"I didn't know where the kitchen was," I smiled sheepishly, lowering myself to my knees so I could eat, "A tour might come in handy."

"Yes of course, I'll show you around after you finish eating."

The Ancient One sipped her own tea while I ate my breakfast. I held back the temptation to ask her if she ate food. She was human by birth, but being Sorcerer Supreme granted abilities unknown to most.

Once I was done, she told me to leave my plate and tray where it was. It would be taken care of shortly. The Ancient informed me that the room we were in would be one of the few I trained in. After that, she pointed out the areas where people slept, the industrail sized kitchen, normal gym, entertainment system area, library, and outdoor training areas.

It was a lot to remember, but it felt like it was the saem size as the facility, which helped me compartmentalize the different ways to get places in my mind. Once the tour was over, the Ancient One led me back inside down one of the hallways she breezed by earlier. Taking it to the very last roomm, she stepped inside, expecting me to follow.

"This is where we can travel to and communicate with the other sanctums in the world. The one in New York holds our largest collection of artifacts. I think it's high time you recieve yours," Ancient One stepped up to a stone in the center of the room, spinning it slightly.

One of the doors to our right opened, boasting a large staircase.Motioning for me to follow her, the Ancient One stepped through. Outside of the builging I heard faint murmers of people tlaking and car horns. We were in New York.

"I contacted the protector of this sanctum last night, he is out on business, but he is allowing us to look through the artifacts and take the one that calls out to you."

"Wonderful," I beamed. I had heard of sorcerers finding their artifacts before, but I never thought I would be finding one of my own.

Walking up the staircase and taking a right, we arrived in a vast room. Artifacts lined the walls. Glass cases held several larger ones, and there were a few out on tables. A long glass case towards the back held jewelry.

"What exactly am I supposed to do?" I questioned, looking back at the Ancient One for some guidance.

"Close your eyes, and clear your mind," Ancient One's soothing voice was almost hypnotic, "When all other invading thought are gone, you'll begin to hear a whisper. It might not say words, but it'll be present. Follow it."

I had closed my eyes while she was speaking, focusing on her voice as it flowed around me. The more I allowed myself to drift off and let go, the more present a tug at my mind was.

It was a small mumble, hissing and stirring around my mind, calling out for me. Slowly, so I wouldn't knock anything over, I followed the whisper, twisting and turning when it got louder or quieter. When it was as loud as I thought it was going to get, I opened my eyes.

"The jewelry case," I looked down at the piles of necklaces and bracelets and rings, "Great, more searching."

"It is very simple from hereon out," Ancient One lifted the glass off of the display.

I stared down at the accessories, brows furrowed in concentration. One of them was meant to be mine, it was connected to me. What one was...

"This," I wrapped my fingers around a circlet with a large gem in the middle.

"The Talisman of Power, an interesting pairing by all means," Ancient observed me in interest, "You're disappointed."

"No, not disappointed, not at all!" I rushed to cover up my former expression, "It'll just be a bit hard to explain the whole tiara thing and I was never a big fan of crowns since I grew up being forced to wear one so-"

The talisman suddenly became much lighter. Glancing down, I gasped at the sight before me. It had shifted from a tiara to a ring. Gold, with the same red gem in the center. Much smaller, and much more practical.

"Trust your artifact," Ancient One advised with a sly smile, "It is meant for you, and it will do what pleases you. Now that you have found your artifact, you should spend the rest of the day researching and practicing with it."

"The rest of the day?" I cried out in dismay. I was hoping to start some form of training, you know, with the Ancient One, with actual magic. That or, I was hoping she would guide me through my questions about, well, everything.

"Yes, patience (Y/n). Were you not taught that at home?" Ancient's One's eyes held an air of humor.

"I was, but I never enjoyed the practical lessons. Suppose now I'll be putting them to good use," I grumbled.

~*~

Later that night I was lugging a large pile of books back to my room. Most of them held some type of information about my artifact. The others were ones I found interesting. Even though I couldn't practice what I wanted to yet, it didn't mean I couldn't read about it.

"The Power Talisman," I mumbled to myself, watching as the ring on my right hand caught the light of my lamp, "Has been passed down from owner to owner who, while wearing it, has been dubbed the Talisman. Interesting hero name. The first origins of the circlet are unknown, first appearing with Nahita from the Tribe of the Moon."

Finding no other interesting information, I moved on to the next book. This one focused on the powers of the Talisman, rather than its history.

"The holder of the Talisman is gifted the abilities to summon and control spirits. Holy wurn, I wonder if I can contact of of the greats. Or, or I can call upon Pietro for Wanda..."

Shaking off the interesting thought, I continued my reading, a bit more intrigued with the learning aspect now.

"Near infinite spell casting and ability to tap in magic fields. Levitation, awesome, no more shields to fly. Empathic bonding, small distance portals, and magic neutralization," I listed, getting the gist of things pretty quickly, "Alright, time to try."

I held my hand out in front of me, not entirely sure what I should do. Thinking of a simple summoning spell, I waved my hand, almost falling out of the bed when my crossbody slammed into me violently.

"Atreya that hurt," I rubbed my healing shoulder.

I took a mental note that when the book said infinite spell casting, it most likely meant that it enhanced the spells as well. I stood up and moved off of my bed next, trying to figure out how I would levitate.

"Up," I jumped up slightly, landing on the ground soon after, "Levitate...Fly...Up up and away...Gwil!"

With the Orveonian word for fly, my feet left the ground. I laughed in delight, soon quieting when I didn't stop going up. I waved my arms frantically, trying to 'air swim' myself back down to the ground.

"Down, down. Oh, din!" With the order, my feet touched the ground again, a bit harshly, but I was down.

It seemed like the Talisman only responded to Orveonian orders, or requests. It was most likely because it was following my first language. I was tempted to summon a spirit, or create a portal, but that was a bridge I would cross another day. All I really wanted to do was go to bed.

As I was pulling my blankets over my body, I tugged at the ring on my finger, surprised when it didn't come off. I gave it another tug. Nothing. Deciding to ask the Ancient One why it wasn't coming off tomorrow, I lied down completely, shutting my eyes.

Faintly, I realized I hadn't called Steve. Instead of reaching out for my phone, I snuggled into my blankets further. It would be alright not calling him, this was a trip of  _self_  discovery after all.

 


	19. Logical Wisdom

__

I had spent the last week at Kamar-Taj, learning new and intense forms of magic. Along with that came 'bonding' with my artifact. I learned what the textbooks didn't tell me, that it was protective and empathic. On top of that, if I ever got frustrated with it, it would be mad back and wouldn't work.

Along with the artifact training came normal magic training. Spells and rituals I had no idea existed were presented to me. The Ancient One guided my astral form through different realms and dimensions. Along with the new positive learning, came learning about the negatives. The sorcerers and sorceresses who used their gift for their own gain, or to cause chaos and pain for others.

The dark side of magic, that I was always told to stay far away from, was a common topic as well. Once I was intensely interested in, maybe it was the Avenger side of me peeking through, but there was more to the Ancient One and her power. I made a note to investigate that.

I had called Steve twice after the first time, making the total three. I missed him, but a larger part of me knew I couldn't cling onto his words and general aura forever if I truly wanted to learn about myself. It was weird, but a bit refreshing to step away from everyone I knew.

"(Y/n), it is a great honor to be able to tell you that you are now a Master of Magic. Congratulations."

Letting out a joyous laugh I jumped up. I was already a Master of Magic back home, but when I learned of how much I didn't know I sort of stripped myself of that title and started from square one.

"Wait. Does that mean I have to return home?" At the realization I became kind of sad. I liked this vacation, and I liked the people i had met at Kamar-Taj. The Ancient One and Mordo and Wong. Kaecilius was alright, more of a trouble maker than I would have liked, but his views were interesting.

Ancient One chuckled, "Have you forgotten so soon? There is a whole nother side to your learning. You've discovered magic, now it is time for you to discover who you are."

"That was really poetic." I mumbled in shock, not knowing what else to say.

"To begin, you shall meditate for the next hour in solitude. Some music, and good luck."

Left alone with only myself and some melodic music seemingly coming out of nowhere, I sat don to meditate.

 _Not too bad,_  I thought to myself,  _Time to think about my identity crisis_

Thought flowing with the music, I reflected on everything I had been pushing away. All of that started at the beginning. My planet, my childhood.

I was a royal with no desire for a throne. Varian was my escape from ruling, but there was something more to it. Did I rebel against the status and social norms for attention? My parents, while loving, focused more on Varian than me. I didn't like that, but denied it. No child would want to admit that their parents cared more for one of their siblings than them.

Going to Asgard was just that final act of rebellion. My chance to both make my mark and go somewhere where I would feel welcome, not like a second choice. Thinking of Asgard brought my thoughts to Loki.

He said a lot of things under the influence of the scepter that scared me. The vision Wanda gave me was even more frightening. He knew about all of my insecurities, all of my secrets, and he used them to hurt me. Shoving my status and 'superiority' down my throat until I got sick of it, of him. He was my best friend, and no matter what happened between us, hearing of his death hurt me more than his words ever could.

Hurt...Like how I hurt Steve with my lies. Forgiven or not, there was guilt within me that would never go away. Guilt that made me question a lot of things. Even though Steve was truly the first man I loved romantically, he was who I intended to marry. We struggled and grew together, intertwining our fates.

Then there was Tony. He and I butted heads more often than I cared to admit, but he kept me in check. He told be about my hypocrisy, of my faults, and shared his own. Such as Ultron. Ultron. Though doubts about myself existed before him, they were never something I dwelled on. But his raw and unfiltered understanding of humanity changed all that. He-

"Alright," Ancient One seemed to float into the room, "Your hour of reflection is complete. Tomorrow we'll spend the day working through your thoughts. After that is your choice. I must leave for business, but you are more than welcome to stay as long as you would like."

"Thank you Ancient One," filled with both more confusion and understanding, I returned to my room, knowing my journey would end tomorrow.

~*~

"So is this going to be another meditation session or..."

"No, this will be much more hands on. You understand the talisman can summon spirits, correct?"

"Yeah..."

"You will be summoning spirits to guide you."

"I beg you pardon?" I sputtered in shock.

Ancient One chuckled at my reaction, "The process is quite simple. I will be guiding you the entire time."

"Alright,"still  slightly hesitant I continued, "I trust your teaching."

"Good. Now, close your eyes and touch your ring," I did as she said, "Think of the first thing that has been troubling you."

_Home and Loki's words_

"Once it is in your mind say what I say...I call out to the spirits watching over me. If one of you holds the wisdom I need, I summon you."

"I call out to the spirits watching over me. If one of you holds the wisdom I need, I summon you."

"I call out to the spirits watching over me. If one of you holds the wisdom I need, I summon you."

I glanced around the room in search of some sign of a spirit. Sighing disappointedly, I opened my mouth to say something to the Ancient One, screeching instead when a hand placed itself on my shoulder. Whipping around, I gasped in shock.

"Frigga."

The woman smiled warmly, pulling me into a tight hug.

"I missed you my dear," Frigga looked my over as any mother would, "I've been watching over you. It was obvious who would help you."

Ancient One stepped back into one of the corners, watching but not hovering as I spoke with Frigga. She was letting me finish this on my own.

"Your status has always bothered you. Why is that?"

"I'm not meant to be a royal. They're supposed to lead from the palace. I fight on the field. They see themselves higher than others, even if they rule their people perfectly. Their contentedness and perception just aren't...They aren't me."

"I understand. Loki is the one who brought this into your mind, didn't he?"

"He knew me so well, and knew exactly how to hurt me."

"I understand. But the Loki who attacked New York wasn't my son, and he wasn't your friend. Don't feel guilt or anger, you did everything just right."

"Thank you Frigga."

"As for your status, it is something you can't change. You may not fit the mold, but that has allowed you to do all of this. You see the universe in a different light, and have taken the first step forwards for your planet. Be proud of who you are, a princess who can kick ass."

"Valhalla has changed you," I whispered in awe, staring up at the woman who had been my role model for years.

"More than you know dear," Frigga pulled me into another hug, "My time is up, there are still people who want to talk to you."

"More people?"

"You're quite popular. I love you dear, you're on the right path. Remember that."

I blinked and Frigga was gone. Smiling, I rubbed under my eyes, smearing the tears that had escaped. Turning back to the Ancient One, she made a motion with her hands, silently telling me that I could move on by myself. I closed my eyes and thought over what was bothering me next.

_My mistakes with Steve_

"I call out to the spirits watching over me. If one of you holds the wisdom I need, I summon you."

I opened my eyes slowly, my body jolting when I was met with a stern gaze. It was a large man, with warriors paint across his skin. There was something familiar about him, something I couldn't quite-

"Oh my Atreya," I took a step back in shock. I knew exactly who that was. It was the first man I had ever killed, all those years ago on Asgard. What was he doing here? " _You_  were watching over me?"

"Many tried and failed to kill me," his voice was deep and gravelly, on Earth it would have been compared to a smoker's, "You fought valiantly, and ended my life. I thought it only fair I watch over yours."

"And you can teach me about guilt?"

"Well you felt guilty about killing me didn't you?" The man smirked slightly, "In any case, I've felt different forms of guilt before. Guilt over the path I took, and guilt over lost love."

"Really?" I was a bit more interested in his story than I was his advice at this point.

"Yes, but she was killed because of my choices. Guilt is a monster that will kill you in a more painful way than any weapon. Love is a treacherous path, with many dips and turns. Mistakes can be made, and that can change your path, but love cannot be changed. Challenging your guilt will never work. Keep it, let it be a lesson. But don't let it destroy you."

"I understand. Thank you. Um, I'm sorry for taking your life."

The man gave me a small smile. It was a strange, gentle thing to see on his harsh face.

"It's alright. You fought for your cause, I fought for mine. Goodbye Princess (Y/n)."

"Oh, wait!" I cried out, taking a step forward, "What's your name?"

"Usun Alzas."

"Usun Alzas," I whispered to myself, committing it to memory, "Thank you again."

Just like last time, I blinked and he was gone. There was just one more issue that I needed help with. It was the most confusing one that was created by Ultron.

_Who am I?_

"I call out to the spirits watching over me. If one of you holds the wisdom I need, I summon you."

After I opened my eyes everything seemed different. I was no longer in the main temple of Kamar-Taj. I was back home, in one of the fields near the country home. It looked like Spring, full of Danflorn flowers. But instead of their normal sweet scent, it was something different. After a moment of trying to put my finger on it, I placed it. It was Steve's cologne.

"It is quite beautiful," a silvery voice spoke from behind me. They had the same accent I did, hinting that they were Orveonian. Interested to see who it was, I spun around, mouth falling open in shock.

"Oh my Atreya."

The woman smiled. That small gesture filled me with warmth and comfort, "That  _is_  my name. It is lovely to finally meet you in person (Y/n)."

"Oh my Atreya," I said again, so overwhelmed I felt as though I was going to pass out, "You're here. You- You're here. You look just like the paintings and statues but you're more beautiful. Chon wurn."

"Yes, I suppose this is a lot to take in," Atreya made a small motion with her hand. A table and two chairs appeared in the middle of the field, a tea set on top of it, "Sit down, while I am here to help you, there is so much more you can learn."

"Alright," I sat down in one of the seats, looking at the full cup in front of me. It smelt like ahof. Similar to tea on Earth, but ten times better in my opinion. I hadn't had any since I left home.

"You are a very special Orveonian (Y/n)," Atreya sat down across from me, her white dress flowing with her movements, "You're different, and that has put you on a difficult path. Elaborate."

"Too alien for Earth, too human for space," I muttered the haunting words from my vision, "I...I  _like_  fighting. I don't like people getting harmed, but there's something about it that I can't out my finger on. A pride that comes with winning. It scares me. I'm supposed to be prim and peaceful. I shouldn't have left home. I should have stayed there and been content with the self defense training and magic we had. But I wasn't."

"I don't see it that way," Atreya took a small drink from her own cup, "You are not just one or the other. Or too much of something. You are  _both_  human and alien. You are the bridge that connects the two worlds. You see Earth in a perspective they lack, and yet you love them, and fight for them. You can be connected to people and places on both planets. You are more special than you realize (Y/n)."

"Both human and alien," I whispered to myself. I liked the sound of that. I liked the thought of that. I had never thought of it that way. Every around me, including myself, thought that it had to be one or the other. Alien or human, and I was neither. I was never one or the other. I was both, and that was okay, "I can be both?"

"You  _are_  both. You can't control it, you were born to be who you are. You will do amazing things. I have a vision for you (Y/n), but the first step is accepting who you are. Don't be afraid to stand up straight and yell 'I am here'!"

"Thank you Atreya. This was- wow this was a lot. I never thought I would be meeting the creator of our world."

"Well it wasn't necessarily  _me_ ," Atreya blushed at my compliment, "I held the Reality Stone at the time, and I created a home and your people. They've evolved well. Is there anything you would like to know before you are sent back?"

"There's a lot of things I want to know," I laughed nervously, "Um...If I were to ever visit home, would my parents be mad?"

"No. They will be conflicted, but will celebrate all the same."

"Are you like God? Earth has their religions. And ours revolves around you. You created all of us in your image after all."

Atreya hummed, "I suppose I'm similar to a deity. After the death of my mortal form, I became what I am now."

"Oh. That's- I'm sorry it's just that we worship you and now I'm meeting you so..."

"I understand," Atreya stood up from her seat, "I suppose I should send you back now."

"Yes. Thank you. Knowing you're the one giving me advice, it means a lot."

Atreya put a hand on my shoulder,  pulling my into a gentle hug. It was nice, and felt very motherly. She stroked a hand through my hair, smiling brightly.

"Your people, your planet, are my greatest creation. And you, Princess (Y/n), you are my most unique. Stay true to who you are, I'll be guiding you. Goodbye."

"Goo-"

Before I could finish my goodbye, I woke up on the floor of Kamar-Taj. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes to wipe the drowsiness from them. I was tired. Whether it was from the exertion from summoning spirits, or from how much my brain had to process. How much wisdom was bestowed upon me in such a short amount of time.

"You were off with Atreya for a long while," Ancient One's voice flowed through the room, "It is the day you were meant to leave."

"Oh!" I jumped up, brushing off my pants, "Wow, time must work differently where we were, it only seemed like I was talking to her for a few minutes."

"I came to say goodbye," Ancient One bowed her head in respect, "Whether or not you choose to leave now, I can put off my business no longer. It was an honor to teach you, Your Majesty."

"It was an honor to be taught by you Ancient One," I bowed my head in response, "I truly feel as though I have found myself."

"That is what I hoped for. Come back at any time, Kamar-Taj's doors are always open to you."

"I'm certain I will return at some point in the future. Goodbye Ancient One."

Ancient One walked off. I went through a different door to my room. Inside, I packed up the items I had slowly taken out, and changed my clothes. Checking the time, I confirmed that I had spent nearly a day with Atreya. I had to go home. Back to society, the other Avengers, and Steve. I missed them, I really did.

I slung one of my bags over my shoulder and pulled the other one behind me. While I was leaving I made sure to track down those I had become close with during the short time I had been at Kamar-Taj. After mutual wishes of good luck and goodbyes, I was off.

Stepping onto the streets from Kamar-Taj was like entering a different world. I took a few short seconds to take it all in before beginning my effort to hail a cab. I had a sling ring, but I didn't want to scare the airport workers by appearing out of thin air suddenly. That and, sling rings weren't exactly my forte.

I hailed a cab and took it to the airport. After I greeted the workers who met me last time, I boarded the quinjet, setting a course for the Avengers compound. Staring out the window to get one last look at Nepal, I sighed in content. When autopilot was confirmed, I slumped down in the pilot's seat, pulling out my phone.

_Heading home. Be there in around 10 hours_

_Got a surprise waiting for you ;D_

Chuckling at Steve's use of 'emojis', I leaned my head against the headrest of the chair. Sleeping for a while wouldn't be so bad.

~*~

_"You have arrived at your destination."_

Groaning tiredly, I slowly got up from my chair. Ten hours of on and off sleep. Not bad.

Grabbing my bags, I opened the back and stepped off of the quinjet. The familiar smell of the New York air was pleasant, and welcome. While I was taking my time waltzing off of the ship, the majority of the Avengers ran out to greet me, Wanda taking my bags from my hands.

"Steve is waiting for you on the roof," Nat winked, "You can tell all of us about your trip tomorrow."

"Thanks you guys," I gave everyone a quick hug, "All of you are amazing."

I walked into the compound, politely smiling at the few workers I passed. When I reached the elevator, the system recognized me and automatically took me up to the roof. As soon as I stepped out, the scent of burning candles wafted towards my nose.

"What's all of this?" I grinned upon seeing Steve holding up two glasses of wine in front of some snack foods.

"A welcome back dinner," Steve motioned for me to sit down on a large blanket placed near the edge, "Surprise."

"This is wonderful," I took a sip of the wine, "You didn't have to go through all this trouble."

"It wasn't trouble," Steve assured me, "So what happened at Kamar-Taj?"

"More than you could imagine," I pulled a few crackers out of the packet, "My shoulder has healed nicely by the way. Anyways, I learned unimaginable amounts and magic and- Oh! I found my artifact."

I held up my right hand to showcase the Talisman, "I don't think I can take it off...Ever. But it's fine because it's incredibly helpful and powerful. It has a personality of its own. It helped me figure out who I was by summoning spirits. I talked to Frigga about home and my status, the first man I killed about guilt, and Atreya about-"

"Wait, hang on, Atreya as in your God Atreya?"

"She called herself a deity but yeah. She gave me advice that made a lot of things more clear. I've got a ways to go, but I finally feel like I know who (Y/n) Vala Altovar is. That was a lot, sorry," I laughed slightly, embarrassed, "What happened here while I was away?"

"(Y/n) Vala Altovar," Steve seemed a bit spaced out, "Altovar."

"Steve?" I put a hand on his shoulder to bring him back to Earth.

He abruptly stood, pulling me up with him.

"You said you know who (Y/n) Vala Altovar is, but there's something you're missing...Your last name should be Rogers."

"Steve," heart pounding against my chest, I took a step back as he got down on one knee.

"Last time I did this it was a spur of the moment thing and, well, you saw how that worked out. We've been through a lot together, and even with bumps in the road we've gotten through it. I want forever to be like that. So, (Y/n), will you marry me?"

Emotion swelled in my chest. He tried again. He didn't give up on me. Honestly, if he would have asked me at any point before Kamar-Taj I would have said no again. But this time, there was nothing holding me back.

"Yes!"

Steve sighed in relief, standing up to slide the ring onto my finger, kissing me soon after. I sighed happily, running my fingers through his soft hair.

"I wish I could have asked your parents permission," Steve mumbled, thumb tracing circles on my hip.

"Be happy you didn't. I'll have to tell them at some point though. Maybe they'll come to Earth for the wedding."

"The press'll love that. I'm the first man to marry an alien after all."

"Mhm," my lips found Steve's again, "But, I'm a little human too. On the inside."


	20. The Accords

__

_"All right, what do you see?"_

_"Beat cops. Small station. It's a good target."_

_"There's an ATM, which means-"_

_"Cameras."_

I leaned back in my seat, taking a sip of th foreign coffee in front of me. Before we had settled down at the cafe, I had shifted into a blonde woman with tanned skin. She- I- was dealing with the hot weather in shorts and a t-shirt.

_"That means our guy doesnt care about being seen. Doesn't care about casualties. You see that Range Rover around the block?"_

_"Yeah, the red one? It's cute."_

_"It's also bulletproof,"_ Nat added,  _"Which means private security, which means more guns, which means more headaches for somebody. Probably us."_

_"Did you forget that I can move things with my mind? (Y/n) can use magic as well."_

_"Looking over your shoulder needs to become second nature."_

_"Anybody ever tell you you're a little paranoid?"_

_"Not to my face. Why? Did you hear something?"_ That made me chuckle.

_"Eyes on target, folks. This is the best lead we've had on Rumlow in six months. I don't want to lose him."_

"If he sees us he's going to be running for the hills," I chuckled, making eye  contact with Wanda.

_"Says the woman who can transform into anyone."_

"Hydra created detectors. If they have them I won't be much use in a different form," I argued.

 _"Sam, see that garbage truck? Tag it,"_ Steve ordered.

I looked over to the truck Steve mentioned. It was driving through the middle of the market recklessly, with no regard to what it was destroying.

_"It's a battering ram."_

_"Go, now!"_

Jumping up and out of my chair, I shifted into my uniform. Joining Nat and Wanda along the way, all of us ran to the Institute for Infectious Diseases where the fight was taking place. Steve and Sam were already a step ahead of us, taking out Rumlow's men.

"Rumlow on the third floor," Sam reported to us.

"(Y/n), boost me up."

"What about the gas?' Wanda questioned, looking up at the building wearily.

"Get it out," Steve said simply before full on sprinting towards me.

Squeaking in surprise, I threw both of my hands up and boosted Steve up to the third floor. He crashed through the glass, allowing the gas to leak out and into the air. That was when Wanda stepped into action, filtering the gas until it was harmless. Talk about air pollution.

"I'm at five, (Y/n) you gotta hurry up."

"Shut up Sam," I punched one of Rumlow's men across the jaw, knocking him out immediately.

"I think the meditation is helping out. Thanks for giving me the lessons after the Christmas heist. Even if you didn't end up winning."

"We don't mention the heist unless it's heist time," I stretched my hands out to create a whip, "I'm about to be at eight."

"Eight? How are you at eight?"

I swung the magical whip around my head, taking out the men that had been rapidly closing in around me.

"I'm just that good," I mocked good naturedly.

_"Rumlow has a biological weapon."_

"I'm on it."

Nat sprinted towards a soldier and took him out in under a second.  She ran forward, taking out soldiers through hand-to-hand combat and with her Widow's Bite cuffs. I was watching her absent mindedly while fighting myself. This fight was too easy.

"I don't work like that no more." I gasped as Rumlow dropped Nat into one of the humvees, dropping a live grenade inside soon after.

"Wurn," trusting that Nat could handle herself, even with a live grenade at her feet, I took off after Rumlow.

He had jumped into the closest truck and took off. But because of all the things in his way, and perhaps because of the Talisman, I easily kept up with him until he crashed. Four men got out with him, scattering as soon as their feet touched the ground.

"I got Rumlow," I shouted into the com, "You guys handle the others."

As I searched through the market ground, a harsh kick was delivered to my chest, stealing the air form my lungs. Coughing dryly, I blindly reached out for something to grab on to so I could pull myself up.

"Cap's little squeeze," Rumlow picked me up out of the rubble by my neck. I kicked and punched, but none of my hits affected him, "I'm gonna enjoy killing you."

I spread my hands apart from each other, a sparking whip forming in between them. Throwing it forwards, it wrapped itself around his calf. I pulled back as hard as I could, falling onto my back when he stumbled and let me go.

_"Payload secure. Thanks, Sam."_

Recovering, Rumlow sprinted towards me. I somersaulted past him, wrapping the magic whip around his hand. Tightening my grip, electricity roared along the weapon towards him. He flinched, jerking his arm. But it didn't have the harsh affect I thought it would. He wrapped his arm around the glowing whip, giving it a harsh tug.

With no control, my body flew towards him. Before I was even touching the ground, two punches landed on my stomach. I gasped, my concentration fading and the whip disappearing from my hands. That was the thing about magic. Just like shifting, concentration was important.

I spun around, kicking him once, twice across his helmet. He flew back into the same rubble I fell into. Taking a few menacing steps towards him, he pulled his helmet off. I held back a grimace upon observing his extremely scarred face.

"Who's your buyer?" I asked, tone telling him I wasn't joking around.

"You know him. So does your boyfriend, fiancé sorry. Your pal, your buddy, your Bucky."

"You're lying," I growled. I could feel the Talisman heating up on my finger. It was feeding off of my anger.

"He remembered you two. He got all weepy about it. He wanted me to tell you something. He said, 'When you gotta go, you gotta go.' And you're coming with me."

My hands jerked forward as Rumlow pressed down on the trigger for the bomb he had been carrying the entire time. Instead of him exploding and most likely killing me, his body was lifted into the air, contained. I glanced to the side. Wanda was handling the situation, Steve next to her.

"I'm sorry, I had to make sure the situation was under control-"

_BOOM!_

Everyone's heads snapped up in the direction of the blast. I gasped out in shock. In her hast to get rid of Rumlow, Wanda had accidentally sent him off near a building and let go. The explosion destroyed the outer layers of a few of the floors.

"Wanda, Wanda look at me," I put my hands on Wanda's shoulders, forcing her to look into my eyes. She was shaking, and I was too, "None of this was your fault. Alright?"

"(Y/n), damage control!" Steve shouted, finger pressed against the com in his ear to hand out orders.

"I'm on it," with a jumping start I was in the air near the building. The whole situation wasn't good practice for levitation, but I would have to make do with what I had the ability for.

It would have to be enough if I could save as many people as possible. Taking a quick look back down at Wanda, my heart broke a little to see tears streaming down her face. Hardening my own expression, I focused back on the task at hand.

It wasn't her fault.

~*~

"Wakandans were among those killed during a confrontation between the Avengers and a group of mercenaries in Lagos, Nideria, last month. The traditionally reclusive Wakandans were on an outreach mission in Lagos when the attack occurred."

"Our people's blood is spilled on foreign soil. Not only because of the actions of criminals, but by the indifference of those pledged to stop them. Victory at the expense of the innocent, is no victory at all."

"King T'Chaka," I scoffed in disdain, shutting the computer off, "He's no king of mine."

"Wanda's watching it too," Steve informed me when the newcast could still be heard throughout the compound, "Come on."

Together, Steve and I walked to Wanda's room. Sure enough, she was perched on the edge of her bed watching the news report Steve and I had just shut off. Steve picked up the remote, shutting it off before Wanda could listen to anymore of their harsh words.

"It's my fault."

"That's not true."

"Turn the TV back on. They're being very specific."

"I should have checked him over before I started asking questions," I spoke up, sittin next to Wanda on her bed, "You tried to make up for my mistake. Because I hesitated, people died. And now you're the one suffering."

"It's both of our faults," Steve sat down as well, the bed creaking under our combined weight, "We try to save as many people as we can. Sometimes that doesn't mean everybody. But if we can't find a way to live with that, next time maybe nobody gets saved."

Vision suddenly phased through the wall, very casual about it.

"Vis, we talked about this," Wanda seemed to scold.

"Yes, but the door was open so I assumed that-" He cut himself off, knowing it was useless, "Captain Rogers wished to know when Mr. Stark was arriving."

"Thank you. We'll be right down," Steve smiled politely.

"I'll use the door," Vision motioned to the ajar door, "Oh and apparently, he's brought a guest."

"Who is it?"

"The Secretary of State."

My expression dropped at the statement. Thought I couldn't see myself, the twisting in my gut told me that my face had paled dramatically. I hated government workers. Not in an overall sense, but when it came to handling politics...It was never my thing. With SHIELD I didn't have to. And the Avengers usually had Steve or Nat handle the press and other representatives. Because every time I was with one of those workers, it was like they only saw me as a threat, or a weapon they could manipulate. I hated it.

"You two can go on ahead, I'll join you in a minute," Wanda stood up from the bed, Steve and me following soon after.

Steve and I, after sharing a concerned look, reluctantly left Wanda's room. We both felt awful about how much backlash Wanda was receiving for trying to save the people in the market. The media didn't understand that it was a matter of saving more or less. In the end, it was my mistake that caused all of this.

"Humans refer to certain people as snakes, do they not?" I looked over to Steve, shifting my comfortable clothes into a pencil skirt and blouse. I held back the urge to shift my skin as well. I couldn't hide behind a human form anymore.

"Kids these days call people that yeah," Steve cringed after he said that sentence, "I sounded like I was ninety."

"Steve...Honey, you're ninety-seven," holding back a laugh at his expression, I continued my earlier statement, "A lot of the politicians I have met seem to fit that description. Liars, slithering to get what they want. It's a bit frightening."

"Everything will be alright," Steve leaned down and pressed a kiss to my temple, stepping back when we entered the conference room.

The majority of the Avengers were already there, waiting for us. Vision and Wanda completed the group a few seconds after Steve and I sat down. Secretary Ross regarded all of us for a few moments, before he began his speech.

"Five years ago, I had a heart attack. I dropped right in the middle of my backswing. Turned out it was the best round of my life, because after 13 hours of surgery and a triple bypass I found something 40 years in the Army had never taught me: Perspective. The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt. You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives, but while a great many people see you as heroes, there are some who would prefer vigilantes."

"And what word would you use, Mr Secretary?" Nat crossed her arms, voice slightly snarky.

"How about dangerous? What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

Ross activated the screen behind him. Several clips of news footage played, "New York, Washington DC, Sokovia, Lagos."

Wanda looked away from the screen, eyes listening with tears.

"That's enough," I used my 'Royal Voice'.

"For the past four years, you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision. That's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate. But I think we have a solution," Ross slid a thick book across the table, "The Sokovia Accords. Approved by one hundred and seventeen countries it states that the Avengers shall no longer be a private organization. Instead, they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel, only when and if that panel deems it necessary."

"The Avengers have made the world a safer place several times," I laughed in disbelief, "And you want to make us have one hundred and seventeen countries meet if we want to go on a mission?"

"Tell me Miss Altovar, where are Thor and the Hulk right now?"

"Thor is in Asgard," I drew a blank on Bruce's location, instead opting to defend my friend, "And  the Hulk is also Bruce Banner, both of which are capable of taking care of themselves."

"If I misplaced thirty megaton nukes I would be in trouble. Compromise, reassurance. That's how the world works. Believe me, this is the middle ground."

"So there are contingencies?" Rhodey pointed at the book.

"Three days from now, the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords."

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?"

"Then you retire."

Soon after that abrupt statement, Secretary Ross took his leave, allowing the Avengers to talk over what they wanted to do with the Accords. Steve and I actually began to read them over.

"I know you aren't going to sign them, no matter what," I whispered to Steve, making sure the others couldn't hear me.

"I'm not going to retire either."

"Steve, we've had to move our wedding date twice. Missions and waiting for Bucky have been getting in the way. I want to wait for Bucky, but I also want to marry you. I want to be (Y/n) Rogers. And if that means retiring..."

"Do  _you_  want to retire?" Steve asked, and I shook my head in response, "I want to marry you too. And as soon as this blows over, I swear to you we will. I'll- With or without Bucky, okay? We'll find a way to do this, to keep being heroes and be married."

"Don't promise me that," I mumbled, "Just promise me that we can get married. That's all I want Steve."

"I have an equation," Vision announced, "In the eight years that Mr Stark has come out as Iron Man, the number of unknown enhanced persons has raised exponentially. Since the Avengers have formed, the number of potentially world ending events have risen at an even larger rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?"

"I'm saying, our very strength invites challenge. Challenge incites conflict. And conflict breeds catastrophe. Oversight, oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Tony. You are being uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal," Nat commented, looking over to Tony who was laying on the couch.

"It's because he's already made up his mind," I rolled my eyes in annoyance.  
In response, Tony stood up and walked to the kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee, bringing up a picture of a young man on the screens.

"That's Charles Spencer, by the way. He's a great kid. Computer engineering degree, 3.6 GPA. Had a floor level gig at Intel planned for the fall. But, he wanted to put a few miles on his soul, before he parked it behind a desk. He decided to spend his summer building sustainable housing for the poor. Guess where, Sokovia. He wanted to make a difference. I mean, we won't know because we dropped a building on him while we were kicking ass. There's no decision-making process here. If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less, we're no better than the bad guys."

"We are taking the blame for our actions," I pointed out, "We always have. If someone dies while protecting billions of others, you don't give up. That's what we'd be doing."

"That is dangerously arrogant," Rhodey cut in, "This is the United Nations we're talking about. It's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not Hydra."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas, and agendas change."

"That's good. That's why I'm here. When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stop manufacturing."

"You chose to do that Tony. If we do this, we give up our right to choose," I picked up the Accords, flipping through until I spotted my name. My eyes widened, and I read what I found out loud, "'During a meeting between Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff it was suggested that (Y/n) Altovar be sent to a secure location for further testing and examination. So that the world could be more safe from her potentially catastrophic abilities. At least once month, three months out of the year, she will report to a secure government facility to be tested. If any test goes wrong and results in injury, the United Nations will be held accountable.' They want to experiment on me?"

I dropped the book onto the table, backing away, "No, no. You're willing to let them perform potentially deadly acts on your friends? I'm not signing this."

"Princess, they'd be accountable for their actions."

"When has the world ever been accountable?" I screeched, losing my cool, "They'd cover everything up as some big accident, or make me disappear. You know that, all of you know that. I'd be better off going back home!"

With that I left the conference room, leaving the others behind. I tried to play my cards right, I did everything I could to show that I was on the side of the people, but power could never handle meeting their match. It was like that all over the universe.

Once I made it to Steve and my bedroom, I shifted into more comfortable clothes, sitting down on the bed. Burying my face in my hands, I cried. And cried. I cried for stress relief, I cried for the chance of losing who I considered my family, and I cried for myself. I was finally feeling comfortable in my own skin, and they wanted to take that away from me.

My phone buzzed, bringing me out of my sadness. I rubbed my eyes, reading over the text from Shannon.

_Aunt Peggy's gone. In her sleep._

I shot up, running my sleeve under my eyes once again before I left the room. After checking in a few, more isolated spaces, I found Steve leaning against one of the staircases. I crashed into him, wrapping my arms around his torso in a tight hug.

"I'm okay," Steve tried to assure me. I knew he was lying.

"No, you aren't. And that's alright Steve. She's one of the last people connecting you to your old life. I understand, you can cry, and be upset. It's only natural. You've done so much for people that want to take everything away," I cupped Steve's cheeks with my hands, "If you don't want to sign, don't sign. If you want to sign...If you want to sign then I'll support you, because I love you, no matter what."

A few tears escaped his eyes as he pulled me close, "I would never sign something so biased against you."

"I love you," I repeated, kissing Steve quickly, "Now come on, we have somewhere to be."

 


	21. Cat-Man

__

I entered the cathedral a few minutes before Steve. He was one of the few chosen to bring in Peggy's casket. After we received the message, we flew out and booked a hotel. Steve had been really quiet. I understood, and I tried to support him, but seeing him in so much pain hurt me as well.

While I was taking my seat towards the front, I locked eyes with Tony. He was in the farthest back corner. He was obviously trying to be discreet, dressed in an all black suit. I gave him a small nod. He nodded back. We could put aside the tension between us for a few moments.

Once I was settled, another person sat down right next to me. I glanced up at them, sighing with a shake of my head when I saw who it was.

"So this is what it takes for you to show up, huh Fury? Can't even show your face with the Accords going on?"

"She was a founding member of the biggest thing in my life, even if it was corrupt," Fury said quietly, "I'm sorry the Accords are so biased against you. I'm trying to pull some strings but it's difficult right now. You know how the world can be."

"It's alright. I now know what other minorities on Earth feel like. I want to retire, but Steve wants to go against it entirely."

"A lovers quarrel?"

"Not really, I'll stay with him no matter what happens. I'm just afraid that if he make us a target, we might have to, um, well we might have to  _leave_."

The choir off to the side began singing. Fury and I silenced ourselves. The casketbarrers slowly entered the church. I watched Steve closely. He had been crying recently. After the casket was set down up front, Steve slid into the aisle next to me, barely giving Fury a second glance. I grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

The service was quick and quaint, highlighting the shining moments in Peggy's life. Although in my eyes, her entire life was a highlight in Earth's history. Once the priest was finished, he invited Sharon up to say a few words.

"Margaret Carter was known to most as a founder of SHIELD, but I just knew her as Aunt Peggy. She had a photo in her office, standing next to JFK. As a kid, that was pretty cool. But it was a lot to live up to. I asked her how she managed to master diplomacy and espionage in a time when no one wanted a woman succeed at either. She said, compromise where you can. Where you can't, don't. Even if they're telling you that something wrong is right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, and say 'No, you move.'"

After Sharon's speech, the rest of the service went quite fast. There was a speech or two from other family members, and then the priest directed everyone to a seperate room in the church where lunch would be served. Once that announcement was made, everyone slowly filed out. There were a few stragglers, who stood by her casket and said a prayer before leaving.

Standing in front of the pews, Steve and I were the last ones in the church. He had shaken hands, expressed his sympathy, and said hello to Fury. After that, he just sat in silence. Now he was standing, still silent.

_Click, click, click_

Nat approached from behind us, the heels on her pumps sending small echoes throughout the cathedral. I didn't realize she was attending the funeral too. But when Nat didn't want to be noticed, she wouldn't be.

"When I came out of the ice, I thought everyone I had known was gone. Then I found out that she was alive. I was just lucky to have her, someone, from back then."

"Who else signed?" I asked, already knowing she did. I was sad, but held no ill will towards her, she was being self preserving.

"Tony. Rhodey. Vision."

"Clint?"

"Says he's retired."

"Wanda?"

"TBD. Just because it's the path of least resistance doesn't mean it's the wrong path. Staying together is more important than how we stay together. (Y/n), I'm ready to fight tooth and nail until they take that section out of the Accords, or add something in about one of us being able to accompany you."

"What are we giving up to do all that?"

Nat didn't have an answer for that question, "I'm off to Vienna for the signing of the Accords. There's plenty of room on the jet..."

"We can't sign Nat," I sighed, "Not just because of the experiments, I could deal with those. But because people are trying to control us. That would never end well. It won't end well. Even if everyone feels like it will."

"After everything with SHIELD, during my little hiatus I went back to Russia. You know, to track down my parents. Two little gravestones in front of a chain link fence. I pulled some weeds, left some flowers. We have what we have when we have it," Nat put a hand on both of our shoulders before she turned and left.

_Click, click, click..._

~*~

"So you two are retiring then?" Sharon questioned as we walked back to the hotel we had booked near the conference.

After the funeral, we had taken one of the quinjets to Vienna. It was easier to keep tabs on what was going on when we were close. Sharon and Sam rode with us the way there.

"Getting married, we'll have to see about everything else," Steve corrected, "And you enlisted?"

"My mom tried to talk me out of it, but not Aunt Peggy. She bought me my first thigh holster."

"Very practical," I giggled, "So you're stationed over here now?"

"In Berlin, Joint Terrorism Task Force."

"Sounds fun..." Steve trailed off from his obvious lie, "I've been meaning to ask you. When you were spying on us from across the hall-"

"You mean when I was doing my job," Sharon corrected.

"Did Peggy know?"

Sharon sighed, "She kept so many secrets. I didn't want her to have one from you. Thanks for walking with me you two."

Sharon turned around and put one foot in the elevator. When heavy footsteps approached behind us, she stepped back out. Sam was waving his phone in the air, panting as he held it out to us.

"You two gotta see this!" He pressed play on a news video he had pulled up.

_"A bomb hidden in a news van ripped through the UN building in Vienna. More than 70 people have been injured. At least 12 are dead, including Wakanda's King T'Chaka. Officials have released a video of a suspect who they have identified as James Buchanan Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The infamous HYDRA agent, linked to numerous acts of terrorism and political assassinations."_

"I need to make a call," I pulled my phone out of my pocket, rushing to the lobby of the hotel, "Come on Nat, pick up, pick up."

My eyes were constantly darting to the TV in the corner of the room. It was covering the events that had just gone down at the conference as well. We were so close, so near to all the action, and we hadn't even realized what was going on. How absorbed were we in our own problems? Not only that, but why would Bucky supposedly get back into terrorism?

"I need to go to work," Sharon stated, rushing back out of the hotel through the front.

"It wasn't him Steve," I turned to Steve while I was waiting for Nat to answer. Voicemail. I called again, "He wouldn't do something like this while trying to get his memories back."

"I hope you're right. Because if you aren't, we're gonna have to bring him in."

~*~

"Hey," Nat answered after the fourth time I called, her voice quiet, "Look I know how much Bucky means to Steve, and I know he saved your life, but you two need to stay out of this."

"Are you going to arrest us?" I felt like I was actually hearing Nat's voice. There was a chance I was, given how close I was standing to her.

"No, but someone will. That's how it works now. Stay home. Please?"

"He saved my life Nat, twice. We're the two people least likely to die trying to bring him in."

I ended our call, peeking my head around the pillar I was hiding behind to see her. She buried her head in her hands, phone in her lap. I held back the urge to step out and hug her, to tell her everything was okay. Because it wasn't anymore. After another few seconds, I turned around and entered the cafe Steve and Sam were waiting in.

"She tell you not to get involved?" Sam asked, already knowing the answer.

"He'd do the same for me," Steve mumbled absently.

"In nineteen-forty-five maybe. I just want to make sure we considered all our options. The people that shoot at you usually wind up shooting at me."

Sharon arrived at the cafe, sitting down next to us at the counter. She was wearing a hat and sunglasses as well as Steve and Sam. I had shifted into someone random before we left the hotel.

"Tips have been pouring in since that footage went public. Everybody thinks the Winter Soldier goes to their gym. Most of it's noise. Except for this," she slid a file towards me. I glanced around us before opening, showing it to Steve, "My boss expects a briefing pretty much now, so that's all the head start you're gonna get."

"Thank you."

"You're gonna have to hurry. We have orders to shoot on sight."

Bucharest Romania. That was the location listed on the file Sharon had given to us. After that information, our trio sprinted to the quinjet we had hidden, and took off. Knowing there was no way anything would go right, all of us had the common sense to pack our suits before we left for Vienna in the first place.

"We'll figure something out," I told Steve as I was pulling up the zipper on my uniform, "If worst comes to worst, he can hide out on Orveon. It might be really weird for him, but he'd be safe at the very least."

"Thanks (Y/n), but I'm going to make sure it doesn't come to that."

~*~

I had been to Romania before for a mission, but this section Bucharest was different from the busier parts. The people were lovely and the farmers market looked like it was full of wonderful foods. But we weren't there as tourists, we were there as heroes.

The tip Sharon had given us had led us almost directly to Bucky's apartment. We snuck in through the window- after Steve had jimmied it- and began to look around in Bucky's absence.

"Steve, come look at this," I called quietly, opening up a journal full of fragmented memories, "He's remembering."

The door opened behind us. Steve and I turned around, coming face to face with Bucky. He was calm, but confused.

"Do you know me?" Steve asked him urgently.

"You're Steve. I read about you in a museum."

_"They've set the perimeter."_

"I wasn't in Vienna. I don't do that anymore."

"Well, the people who think you did are coming here now. And they're not planning on taking you alive."

"That's smart. Good strategy."

_"They're on the roof. I'm compromised."_

"This doesn't have end in a fight, Bucky," I said gently, walking on eggshells.

"It always ends in a fight."

_"Five seconds."_

"You pulled her from the water, why?"

"I don't know."

_"Three seconds."_

"Yes, you do."

_"Breach! Breach! Breach!"_

Steve hit a gas grenade back out the window as soon as it came flying in. A second rolled in, and this time he put his shield over top of it. Seconds after agents came through the window. I sprinted forwards, kicking one back out and onto the fire escape while Bucky and Steve handled the other two.

Bucky punched a hole in the floor, revealing a 'to go' pack. He chucked it out the window onto a nearby roof. An agent snuck up behind Steve and tackled him onto the balcony. Bucky walked towards the door, ready to open it.

"I'll cover you, if you take them out," I offered. In response, Bucky opened up the door.

I swiped my hands, creating a few shields around Bucky to keep anything but his metal arm from getting shot. Steve soon stumbled into the apartment again, joining us in our fight.

Bucky jumped down a few levels and into another apartment. I cautiously stood on the stairway railing, jumping off of it and grabbing hold of the railing in front of the apartment Bucky had entered. Bucky then jumped over the railing I was hanging onto, escaping the building. I groaned in annoyance.

"You got this?" I yelled over to Steve.

"Go get him!" Steve shouted back in response.

I let go of the railing, stopping myself just short of touching the ground. I walked through the broken doorway in front of me to the next balcony. My eyes widened at the sight in front of me. Bucky was fighting someone dressed as a cat, or maybe a panther. A black panther?

I took a few steps back, getting a running start as I jumped off of the apartment building and onto the roof of the next one. Somersaulting as to not break my legs, I quickly recovered and jumped up.

Neither Bucky nor the cat-person took notice of me. Taking advantage of that, I shifted into an elderly woman, slowly waddling towards them.

"Excuse me," I croaked out, taking a few steps towards the men, "Ah yes, you two look like nice boys. I seem to have misplaced my glasses, and I'm blind without them. Have you seen them anywhere?"

Whether or not they, or rather, the cat person, believed my act was irrelevant. He was distracted. Taking the chance I delivered an uppercut to his jaw, shifting back into my natural form.

"No one ever expects the old lady," I sent Bucky a smug smile.

The man came running at both of us now. I ducked under a potentially fatal slash from his claws, rolling backwards. Bullets came raining down from the sky towards us. I glanced up, rolling my eyes. A helicopter? Really? Sam flew towards it and kicked the tail end, sending it off course.

Bucky slid down the side of the building, the cat-man following after him. I let out a loud groan as Steve jumped down onto the roof. He sent me a curious look.

"Why are we jumping from building to building," I complained, running towards the edge, "All I wanted to do was get married to Captain America. Now I'm chasing a cat-man and ex-assassin through Romania."

I jumped off of the building, summoning the Talismans powers so I could levitate before I hit the ground. Bucky jumped once again, into an underground tunnel highway. Picking up speed, I gently landed on the top of a car, Steve close behind in a 4x4 he had technically stolen.

"Duck," I yelled up to Bucky, directing a blast at the cat-man. He stumbled off of he car he was standing on, into the road. Steve came up beside me, "Go get Bucky, I'm good levitating."

Steve increased his speed, trying to make it to Bucky. But Bucky wasn't entirely helpless. He grabbed onto the handlebars of a motorcycle that was driving next to him, flipping it and the driver off. Bucky took the former driver's place, shooting in between the cars on the highway.

The cat-man leapt up and onto Bucky's motorcycle. Bucky flung him over his head and continued to ride on. I slowed down a bit and dropped down in the passenger seat of the 4x4 Steve was in.

We watched as Sam tried to throw off the cat-man, who was clinging onto his leg. Bucky threw an explosive at the roof of the tunnel, brining the majority of it down. Steve swerved through the rubble, and jumped out of the car. Catching my breath for another few seconds, I followed.

Armed police vehicles surrounded the five of us. Soldiers poured out of the vehicles, guns aimed and ready. Rhodey flew up behind one of the cars, his own weapons drawn

"Congratulations you two, you're criminals."

Cops rushed forward and forced our hands behind around backs. The cat-man retracted his claws and pulled off his mask. I nearly gasped in surprise. It was T'Challa, son of T'Chaka. That explained a lot.

"(Y/n)," Steve glanced over at me as his hands were cuffed, "We might have to push the wedding date back again."

"You think?"

 


	22. Psych Eval

"So, you like cats?"

"Sam," I sighed in exasperation, leaning my head against the seat.

"What? Dude shows up dressed like a cat and you don't wanna know more?" Sam shrugged casually, as if we weren't handcuffed in the back of a van like three criminals.

"Your suit, it's Vibranium?" Steve spoke up.

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations. A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered my father, I also wear the mantle of king. So, I ask you as both warrior and king how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"

"Bucky didn't kill your father," I spoke confidently, using my Royal Voice. It seemed fit while I was talking another royal, "I am truly sorry for your loss, but this is not the proper way to go about things."

"'Proper way'?" T'Challa chuckled, "From the information I have gathered, you are not one for proper ways. Why are you lecturing me about something you do not understand?"

I growled. Steve sent me a warning look.

"The only reason I am still in these cuffs is because I am choosing to," I grit out, breathing speeding up due to my anger, "I can break out of these easily, and take everyone willing to stop me out. I can disappear forever, and cause as much destruction as I want. If you think I'm not willing to go against the UN, you're wrong."

Everyone was silent after that. I knew it was my words that had done that. In more than one aspect I had threatened to become a villain, and I had no hesitation in my words.

"You may release yourself from your bonds."

At those words I snapped my fingers, and all our our handcuffs shattered, falling to the ground. The van we were being transported in pulled up to a large government building. Bucky- stuck in a pod like prison- was being carried away by a forklift. We spotted Sharon a small distance away with a grey-haired man.

"What's gonna happen to him?" Steve questioned the man.

"Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition."

"Our minds are quite clear. Thank you though, Mr..."

"Everett Ross. And I was informed that you threatened the entire UN while you were incapacitated. Not a good example for your words now."

"What about our lawyer?"

Ross chuckled at Steve's question, "That's funny. See their weapons are placed in lockup. We'll write you a receipt. Miss Altovar, just, don't make us detain you."

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that," Sam pointed at his gear.

As Ross left with T'Challa, Nat approached us, arms crossed.

"For the record, this is what making things worse looks like," she huffed in frustration.

"He's alive," Steve shrugged.

"Try not to break anything while we fix this."

"No. Romania was not Accords-sanctioned. And, Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup," Tony approached us, taking heatedly into his phone, "Consequences? You bet there'll be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that 'cause I just said it. Anything else? Thank you, sir."

"Consequences?"

"Secretary Ross wants all of you prosecuted. Had to give him something," Tony told us.

"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?"

"Technically it's the government's property. Wings, too."

"Good thing they haven't claimed me as their property," I grumbled moodily, "Is there somewhere we can watch what's happening?"

"Yeah, this way," Tony led us to a glass walled office overlooking the control room. Once all of us were settled in, he spoke up again, "You wanna see something cool? I pulled something from Dad's archives. Felt timely," Tony showed us two pens in a presentation box, "FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most."

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war," Steve pointed out.

"See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. I'm trying to- What do you call it ? That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?"

"Is Pepper here?" I diverted the topic of conversation when I saw how upset Steve was getting, "I haven't seen her."

"We're kinda, well, not kinda-"

"Pregnant?"

"No. Definitely not. We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault."

"Oh," I felt a bit guilty that I had brought her up, "I'm sorry Tony, I didn't realize."

"A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to mop up Hydra, then Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because I didn't wanna. I don't wanna lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference. (Y/n), I understand your hesitation, but Nat told me they were discussing rewriting that piece before the bomb went off."

"We don't mean to make things difficult," Steve said apologetically.

"I know, because you're polite people. (Y/n), you're kind of scary sometimes in a passive aggressive I could destroy you kind of way."

"Thank you?"

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth. But I don't wanna see either of you gone. We need you. So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign. We can make the last 24 hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center instead of a Wakandan prison."

"Steve," I put a hand on Steve's arm, "If we discuss the part about the experiments, if one of you can come with and make sure everything is okay...I'd sign. I'd deal with the pain and the lack of acceptance. Because it would mean all of this would be over."

Steve frowned thoughtfully, picking up one of the pens, "I'm not saying it's impossible, but there would have to be safeguards."

"Sure. Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated-"

"Wait. Wanda? What's going on with Wanda?"

"She's fine," Tony assured, "She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company."

"Atreya Tony," my voice began to raise, "Just when I believe we are beginning to walk down the same path!"

"It's a hundred acres with a lap pool. It's got a screening room. There's worse ways to protect people," Tony defended.

"Protection? Is that how you see this? This is protection? It's internment, Tony," Steve added in.

"She's not a US citizen," Tony continued, "And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction."

"I wasn't even born on this planet!" I shrieked. The Talisman pulsed, preparing for a fight, "I can imitate the president and order a nuclear missile strike! I can imitate you and commandeer your suits! It doesn't matter because that's not how I'm choosing to use my powers. Neither is that how Wanda's choosing."

"Give me a break!" Tony  shouted back, "I'm doing what has to be done, to stave off something worse."

"You keep telling yourself that," Steve put the pen back in the box, grabbing my hand, "Hate to break up the set."

"I can't believe him," I hissed as we walked through the facility, "Just as we're coming to an agreement! If he thinks it's alright to lock up a child for something she can't control, then I don't know what the UN would do with her. Earth always hated things they couldn't control."

"There you guys are," Sam waved us into another office where he was waiting with Sharon.

"The receipt for your gear," Sharon held up a piece of paper.

"Bird costume? Come on," Sam sighed in frustration.

"I didn't write it," Sharon moved to the screens at the front of the room, pressing a button so we could hear the audio from Bucky's evaluation.

_"I'm not here to judge you. I just want to ask you a few questions. Do you know where you are, James? I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."_

_"My name is Bucky."_

"Something isn't right," I felt a strange twist in my gut, "That isn't how therapy is supposed to work."

"Well this isn't exactly a normal situation," Steve pointed out, "But it does make me wonder. Why would the Task Force release the photo of 'Bucky' to begin with?"

"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharon suggested the obvious answer.

"All therapists are supposed to act the same way, even in evaluations," I muttered to myself.

"It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding. Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."

"You're saying someone framed him to find him?"

"It's almost like..." I looked to the screen again, "He's not a real therapist."

Everyone's heads turned towards the screens. The evaluator looked at his phone, and then the power to the whole building went out.

"Sub-level five, east wing," Sharon yelled to us, pushing us out of the office so we could get to Bucky.

"I knew something was off about all of this," I yelled over the voices of the panicked workers, "Why release the photo? Why would Bucky do that? There's something, some thread. We need to pull in it so this whole thing unravels."

We arrived outside the chamber. Red emergency lights flashed. All of the agents assigned to watch Bucky were out cold.

"Help me. Help," a weak voice called out from inside the chamber.

As soon as I saw the so-called therapist I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and slammed him against the wall.

"You little wurn. You're going to tell me exactly why you did this or you'll face a fate worse than death," I growled, free hand sparking with energy.

"I want to see an empire fall."

"Duck!"

I dropped to the ground just in time. Bucky's fist was where my head formerly was. Bucky grabbed Sam by the jaw and threw him at the open pod. Steve landed a few punches on Bucky, none of which he responded to. Bucky kicked Steve in the chest, sending him flying through the door.

"Sam, handle him," I pointed at the therapist, running after Steve and Bucky, "Where did they- Oh no."

I stopped in front of the darkened elevator shaft. It was open, and I heard a fight from the bottom. If there was one thing I hated more than elevators, it was elevators shafts. Dark, cramped, and dangerous. Sucking it up, I jumped down, levitating a bit before I actually touched the ground.

"Steve," I helped him off the floor, "Where's Bucky?"

"He went up a level, to the ground floor," Steve groaned, looking up the shaft, "Mind giving me a lift?"

"Oh yeah sure," I wrapped my arm around his waist, grunting as both of us lifted into the air, "I should warn you that I've never done this with another person, I'm only used to using it a few feet off the air, and even then it's still shaky."

"On Earth we do those kinds of warnings before we do the life threatening stunts," Steve informed me, almost too tired to function.

"Noted. I'm still learning new things every day," I beamed, dropping us off on the ground floor level.

"Where is he?" Steve rushed over to an injured Nat.

"On the roof," Nat groaned.

"Go get him Steve, I'll help out down here," I assured him, kneeling down next to Nat to help her up, "You good? Do I need to ask you how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"Ha ha," Nat's voice was monotone, "Do you know how much trouble Bucky is going to be in now?"

"I do," I sighed, "Where's Tony?"

Nat pointed over to a shattered glass panel, where Tony was lying on the ground. I gave Nat one last lookover, before jogging over to Tony. He let out a pained groan, pushing himself up and out of the glass.

"Hang on, you have a lot of glass in you," I waved my hand, wincing with Tony as small shards of glass removed themselves from his skin and hair, "I hope you realize that this wasn't his fault."

"Who threw me into a glass panel then?" Tony asked sarcastically.

"Something is off about all of this Tony," I stepped away when my phone rang, "What's going on Steve?"

"I have Bucky, we need to go," Steve yelled, panting.

I glanced back at Tony, "I'm on my way. Where are you?"

"In a warehouse down the river a mile."

"Okay," I ended the call, turning back to Tony, "I have to go."

"You don't have to," Tony grabbed my arms, "You can end all this. If you sign, then Steve will too."

"I'm sorry," I stepped back and away from Tony, "I really am."

"I am too."

~*~

"I got here as fast as I could!" I shouted, hands on my knees as I tried to catch my breath, "Oh my Atreya I hate running so much. Oh."

When I looked up, Steve, Sam, and Bucky were staring at me.. Bucky had his metal arm stuck in a clamp. I smiled awkwardly. I hadn't been really aware of my surroundings as I came in. Now I was regretting that.

"(Y/n)," Bucky greeted from his confinement.

"Hello...What Bucky am I talking to?"

"You hate whiskey, but you ordered a manhattan the first time we met," he mumbled, "You talked about how the different flavors cancelled each other out."

"That's not knowledge the pubic knows," I informed Steve, "What about him? What do you know?"

"His mom's name was Sarah. He used to wear newspapers in his shoes."

Steve nodded in confirmation. Sam crossed his arms, skeptical.

"Just like that, we're supposed to be cool?"

"What did I do?" Bucky asked innocently. He looked at our forlorn faces, "Oh, God, I knew this would happen. Everything Hydra put inside me is still there. All he had to do was say the goddamn words."

"Who was he?"

"I don't know."

"People are dead. The bombing, the setup. The doctor did all that just to get to you for ten minutes. I need you to do better than 'I don't know'."

"He wanted to know about Siberia," Bucky explained, surprised by Steve's outburst, "Where I was kept. He wanted to know exactly where."

"Why would he need to know that?"

"Because I'm not the only Winter Soldier."

The room seemed to grow ten degrees colder at that statement. I shivered, shifting my long sleeve into a sweatshirt.

"Who were they?" I questioned, not sure if I really wanted to know

"Their most elite death squad. More kills than anyone in Hydra history. And that was before the serum."

"They all turn out like you?"

"Worse. That man, he said he wanted to see an empire fall. He could do it. They speak 30 languages, can hide in plain sight, infiltrate, assassinate, destabilize, They can take a whole country down in one night. You'd never see them coming."

"This would have been a lot easier a week ago," Sam commented.

"If we call Tony-"

"He won't believe us," I shook my head, "Trust me."

"And even if he did, who knows if the Accords would let him help," Sam finished my thought, "But, I know a guy."

~*~

"Not sure you understand the concept of a getaway car," Sharon motioned towards the beat down, small car we had her bring to us.

"It's low profile," Steve shrugged.

"Good, because this stuff tends to draw a crowd," Sharon opened the trunk,  revealing all of our gear. I smiled happily.

I could have easily shifted into my uniform, but there was something about the one I had, the fact that SHIELD had given it to me, that made me feel more confident wearing it.

"Thanks Sharon, if we ever stop being wanted for stealing Bucky, we'll pay you back somehow."

"Yeah, well a little birdy told me you're good at baking," Sharon pointed at Sam, who was in the car with Bucky, "They're going to come looking for you, and they aren't going to be very forgiving this time."

"We know Sharon, thank you," Steve waved his hand as a goodbye.

"Yeah, hope to see you soon," Sharon bid us farewell and left.

Steve and I turned back to each other, knowing that we had to go so we could get to the helicarrier, but even then, neither of us moved. Steve held out his arms, and I gladly stepped into his embrace.

"I love you," he whispered, "More than anything."

"I love you too, and I'm going to stay with you no matter what happens," I kissed his jaw, revelling in the moment for a few more seconds before pulling away, "Now come on, we need to go handle the other Winter Soldiers."

After a small argument, Sam moved to the back with Bucky, who was smirking the entire time as he did so.

"Can you move your seat up?" Bucky asked me politely.

"Don't do it," Sam grumbled, "He already asked me."

"Sure Buck," I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior, scooting my seat up a bit.

The car was silent as we drove to the airport, taking all of the backways. If I leaned back a bit, I could feel the competitive tension between Sam and Bucky in the back, and when I leaned forward again, I felt Steve's stress and worry. It was almost suffocating.

"One way or another, everything is going to be okay Steve," I reached out and grabbed his hand on the wheel.

"It doesn't have to be, I just want to marry you," Steve repeated my words from the Avengers Compound, "We're here."

Steve went up the ramp and parked next to a large, grey van. The four of us got out, meeting Clint and Wanda behind our cars.

"Cap," Clint greeted.

"I'm sorry Clint," I apologized, "We wouldn't have called if we had a choice."

"You're doing me a favor. Besides, I owe you two," Clint shrugged off our apologies.

"Thanks for having our backs," Steve looked to Wanda.

"It was time to get off my ass," Wanda smiled, arms crossed.

"I wish things were different," I told Wanda, "I wish the world understood powers and creatures above them. I sounded like Loki with that last bit."

All of us shared a chuckle. Steve looked to the sliding door on the van, "How about our other recruit?"

"He's rarin' to go. Had to put a little coffee in him, but he should be good," Clint slid open the door revealing Scott Lang. Steve and I had seen reports about him when we were still at the Avengers compound. It seemed like the right time to contact him.

"What timezone is this?" Scott asked sleepily, crawling out of the van. He seemed to perk up when he saw Steve and I, shaking our hands excitedly, "Captain America, (Y/n)."

"Mr Lang," Steve greeted formally.

"It's an honor, I'm making this awkward aren't I?" Scott chuckled nervously, "Wow! This is awesome," he looked to Wanda, "I know you too. You're great! Hey man!"

"What's up, Tic Tac?" Sam spoke as if he had met Scott before.

"Good to see you. Look, what happened last time when I-"

"It was a great audition, but it'll never happen again."

"They tell you what we're up against?" Steve asked Scott.

"Something about some psycho assassins?"

"The law doesn't agree with us. So if you're going to come along, you'll be considered a criminal," I laid all of the risks out on the table.

"Yeah, well, what else is new?"

"Dies ist eine Notsituation. Alle Passagiere müssen den Flughafen sofort evakuieren," the announcer came over the speaker.

"They're evacuating the airport."

"Stark," Sam sighed.

"Suit up. Wanda, (Y/n), you want the van?"

"Of course we want the van," I chuckled, despite the tense situation. I grabbed my suit from the trunk, stepping inside the vehicle with Wanda just behind me. We slid the door closed, beginning to change into our uniforms, "Are you okay with all of this? I know it's a lot to handle."

"I'm alright," Wanda mumbled, "As you say often, people fear what they do not understand. We are within the misunderstood spectrum, which makes us dangerous to them."

"That's right. Tony's side...Even if we were good friends, even if you and Vision may have a romance blooming- don't deny it- we're fighting for our freedom."

"Understood."

 


	23. Disassembled

Wanda and I stepped out of the van once we were finished changing, joining the others a few minutes later. We split into four different groups. Sam and Bucky in the terminal, Clint and Wanda were in the building across from us, and Scott was ground support.

Steve and I ran towards the chopper Clint had ready. As we neared, an electro disabler slammed into the chopper, disabling it. We looked up, glaring at Tony and Rhodey.

"Wow, it's so weird how you run into people at the airport," Tony said sarcastically, "Don't you think that's weird?"

"Definitely weird," Rhodey agreed, playing along with the bit.

"Hear me out, Tony. That doctor, the psychiatrist, he's behind all of this," Steve tried to explain.

"Princess," T'Challa leapt over a truck, giving me a nod of respect. I had to hand it to him, even if I had been upset with what he said earlier, he was still well raised.

"Your Majesty," I smirked, feeling the Talisman heat up. It was ready for a fight.

"Anyway, Ross gave me 36 hours to bring you in. That was 24 hours ago. Can you help a brother out?"

"You're after the wrong guy," Steve insisted.

"Your judgment is askew. Your old war buddy killed innocent people yesterday."

"And there are five more super soldiers just like him. I can't let the doctor find them first, Tony I can't."

"Steve," Nat spoke up, "You know what's about to happen. Do you really wanna punch your way out of this one?"

"All right, I've run out of patience. Underoos!"

A small man, a teenager if I didn't know any better, swung out from behind us, shooting a spider web from his wrist and stealing Steve's shield, binding his wrists as well.

"So you criticize us for Wanda being so young and yet you bring in another child," I frowned disappointedly, raising my hands as preparation for the fight I knew was coming.

"Hey, everyone," the kid greeted awkwardly.

"You've been busy," Steve said sarcastically.

"And you've been a complete idiot. Dragging in Clint. 'Rescuing' Wanda from a place she doesn't even want to leave, a safe place. I'm trying to keep- I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart."

"You did that when you signed away  _my_  life," I sneered.

"Alright, We're done. You're gonna turn Barnes over, you're gonna come with us. NOW! Because it's us! Or a squad of JSOC guys with no compunction about being impolite."

_"We found it. Their quinjets in hangar five, north runway."_

"Alright, Lang," Steve held his hands to the sky. Clint shot off an arrow that freed him from his binds. From the other side, Scott regrew and kicked the kid across the face, taking back Steve's shield.

"I believe this is yours, Captain America," Scott gave Steve his shield back.

"Oh, great. Alright, there's two on the parking deck. One of them's Maximoff, I'm gonna grab her. Rhodey, you want to take Cap? Nat you got the new guy. Kid, the Princess can be a handful but I think you can hold your own."

"Got two in the terminal, Wilson and Barnes."

"Barnes is mine," T'Challa hissed, running off, Steve following so he could protect Bucky.

"Hey uh, Miss (Y/n), I should probably go help Mr Black Panther so if you could just wait here for a second," the kid swung past me towards the terminal.

"That boy has never been in a fight before," I couldn't help but smile.

"Well Tony's plan went to hell," Rhodey lowered himself to my level, "So I guess I get to fight you for the time being."

"Don't sound so disappointed," I stretched my hands out, creating a glowing whip. Throwing it out, it wrapped around the ankle of Rhodey's suit. I pulled as hard as I could, sending him into a nearby cargo crate.

"Oh no, I consider it an honor to fight royalty," Rhodey flew back towards me, shooting off a miniature missile.

I quickly created a shield, groaning under the strain put on my magic. Shot after shot from his guns drained my stamina. Searching through my memory for some kind of spell that would be able to help me fight against Rhodey. The Talisman pulsed against my finger. Understanding, I trusted it knew what to do.

Waving my hand in front of me, a large wave of energy rolled out and towards Rhodey. He attempted to fly up higher, but the blast followed him. I covered my eyes as his suit flashed, temporarily shutting down. The concrete below him cracked as soon as he hit the ground, motionless.

"You good Rhodey?" I called out to him cautiously.

"How the hell did you shut my suit down?" He responded frustratedly.

"Magic," I wiggled my fingers, small sparkles emitting from them, "So how was it to fight royalty?"

"Screw you."

"Love you too Rhodey," I pressed the com in my ear, "Status?"

_"We're heading towards the quinjet, start running."_

Following the order, I began to sprint towards the quinjet hiding in the warehouse across from us. I spotted Steve and the rest of the team to my right. Turning slightly, I caught up with them, breathlessly smiling at Steve in reassurance.

A fizzing stream of energy sliced across the runway in front of us and we halted. Vision hovered overhead.

"Captain Rogers, (Y/n), I know you believe what you're doing is right. But for the collective good you must surrender now."

The rest of Tony's team lined up across from us.

"What now Cap?" Sam questioned.

"We fight."

We began to speed walk towards the other side, then jog, then we were sprinting. As soon as everyone was close enough, we began fighting. With each person fighting against someone from the other side, I moved towards the Spider-Boy. In a weird way, I wanted to fight him so he could learn how they really went down. It was an Avengers Maternal Instinct.

"Now we get to fight. What's your hero name? Spider-Boy?"

"Spider-Man," the kid corrected, "It's Spider-Man. Um, I'm sort of new to this, are we supposed to talk this much?"

"Oh no, definitely not," I chuckled, raising my hands in a defensive position, "We can start fighting if you want to, I just thought you could use some guidance."

"You aren't as bad as I thought you would be," Spider-Man shot a web towards me. I threw up a shield, watching as it harmlessly slid off, "Mr Stark made it seem like all of you guys went crazy."

"That says a lot about who he is, doesn't it?" I tapped my wrists together, bright discs popping up around my hands, "Makes you reconsider the side you're fighting for?"

"Not really," Spider-Man ducked under a few swipes from my weapons, "I mean, you seem really nice, and I've always looked up to you, but since SHIELD went down, the Avengers have been a bit awol."

Both of us jumped away from each other to avoid a laser blast from Vision. Once the danger to both of us had passed, we clashed again.

"Did Tony tell you why  _I'm_  fighting against all of this?" I narrowly avoided my arms being webbed together. My back hit the cool metal of a crate, "Of course I want to support Steve, but it's also because it would give the UN power they can't control. Wanda and I would be denied basic rights."

"I didn't really think about it like that," each hand shooting out a web, my arms were stuck at my sides. The kid approached me, cautiously, "I'm sorry. I know both sides have good points. But, Mr Stark expects me to hold my own, and I don't want to disappoint him. He gave me this suit after all."

"You did hold your own kid, for a while," using my stuck hands as leverage, I lifted my body into the air, double kicking him in the ribs. I winced as he flew back and hit the ground harshly, "Sorry, sorry. That was a bit hard."

Activating discs around my hands again, I cut through the webbing holding me captive and jogged over to the kid, he was fine for the most part. Just half unconscious. I grabbed his wrists, dragging him to a closed off area so he would be away from all the fighting.

"Thanks, ow," he attempted to get up, "Give me a minute so I can breath again. Wow, that hurt more than fighting for a seat on the subway."

"Oh little ursbi," I knelt down next to him, "You did your best, but you lack experience. Where you from?"

"Queens," he laid on his back, coughing harshly. He got to his knees, slowly getting back on his feet. I took that as my cue to leave.

"Steve is from Brooklyn," I smiled, straightening back up, "Tony will find you once this is over. Lay low until then. I hope we see each other again ursbi."

Seeing Steve's uniform in the distance, I ran towards him, taking note of how the others were doing, "What's the plan?"

"We gotta go. That guy's probably in Siberia by now," Bucky spoke up.

"We gotta draw out the flyers. I'll take Vision. You get to the jet."

_"No, you get to the jet! Both of you! The rest of us aren't getting out of here,"_  Sam yelled through the com, flying away from Rhodey.

_"As much as I hate to admit it, if we're gonna win this one, some of us might have to lose it,"_  Clint added on.

"Alright," Steve seemed hesitant to leave some of the team behind, "We'll need a distraction, and someone to watch our backs.

_"I got something kind of big, but I can't hold it very long. On my signal, run like hell. And if I tear myself in half don't come back for me."_

"He's gonna tear himself in half?"

I looked at the battlefield around us. Everyone was struggling, on both sides. But Tony's was more resolute. They didn't have as much to lose, they didn't have another goal. We did. We had people to save, someone to fight against.

I knew the others were capable, and strong, but this had been such a long battle. They needed help, someone to support them once Steve left. They couldn't do this alone.

"Good Scott. (Y/n), Bucky, come on we gotta go." Steve and Bucky began running, but stopped when I stayed behind, "(Y/n)?"

"Yeah," I whispered, following after him. Something twisted in my gut. My thoughts were coming together. I knew what I had to do.

So close to the entrance of the hangar, Vision fired a beam of energy and collapsed the control tower. Wanda managed to slow the fall, but Rhodey fired a sonic disruptor so she had to let go.

"Nersh," I swore loudly, throwing my hands up above my head and creating a shield around the three of us. I screamed out as the tower fell on top of the shield, falling to my knees.

The metal broke around the shield. I pushed one of my hands forward and extended it, forming a small path that led to the quinjet. Dropping the shield, I placed my elbows on the cold concrete, supporting myself.

"(Y/n)," Steve knelt down next to me, holding my cheeks in his hands, "You're good, come on, we need to go. I'll carry you if I have to."

"I can't Steve," I blinked rapidly as black and white spots flowed through my sight. Every time I blinked, my vision slowly got better, "Both of us knew this is what would happen. I have to help them."

"No, no," Steve began to help me up, stepping through the path I had created, "Don't say that. What did we promise? We said we would get married. I can't leave you here, if they get their hands on you they'll torture you."

"Steve," Bucky spoke up, looking between the both of us sadly, "She's right. We need to go, and she has to stay here."

"We  _will_  get married," I took a few steps away from them, nearly tripping on a piece of scrap metal, "I know that because you're going to find me. I said from the beginning that I could handle the experiments. Now go! We don't have time to argue over this. I love you."

Bucky gave me a nod, grabbing Steve's arm and tugging him forward, "Come on Steve, it'll be alright. We'll get her back."

I turned away from the two, shakily breathing out. Everything hurt, but the vice grip on my heart was the worst. We were so close to being happy, and it was all ripped away.

"You took my happiness away from me," I slowly walked towards the wall of metal in front of me. In my anger, magic was emanating from every pore in my body. The former control tower curled away from my body, forming a clear path that I could walk through, "Because you didn't understand. Because you didn't want to listen. We could have created something better!"

"Princess (Y/n)," Vision slowly lowered Wanda to the ground, "I understand your frustration, I too am having trouble calculating what side has the better argument."

"Shut it you toaster!" I threw out my hand, narrowly missing Vision with a dangerous blast of magic. I didn't even know what spell it was, "All I wanted was to keep my family together. To create another one with Steve. Why couldn't- Why couldn't Earth let me have that!"

My small bout of anger disappeared, and the sadness came back. I hunched over, falling to my knees. I saw Vision's shoes in front of me. I knew I should fight. It was why I stayed behind, to fight, and to help, but what was the point? Steve and Bucky got away. They were going to stop the other Winter Soldiers. It was me and maybe one or two of the others that were good to fight against Tony's entire team.

"You fought bravely (Y/n)," Vision placed a hand on the top of my head, "We are both aware what you are sacrificing. For that, you are truly a hero. Now sleep."

The power he held from the Mind Stone washed over me, and I did as he said.

~*~

When I woke up I couldn't feel any part of my body. That was better than pain I guess. I heard muffled voices from around me, trying to tilt my head to see who it was, I was shocked by how heavy everything felt. When I turned, my entire head fell onto my shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing to her, huh?"

That voice was so familiar. So familiar...Tony. But Tony was supposed to be mad at me. Steve and I were fighting with him.

"Don't worry Mr Stark, what we are doing now is simple testing. We tried to take a blood sample but one of our scientists was almost knocked into next week. We're trying to figure out why exactly that is."

"Was she unconscious when you tried to do that?"

"Yes, and we injected a sedative to keep her calm."

"Tony," I called out, squinting to see him better. He was blurry, and that was so, so funny, "Can I tell you a little secret?"

"Sure," Tony walked over to me.

"The reason they can't touch me is because of my ring," I said a little too loudly, giggling drunkenly afterwards, "Not my engagement ring, the red one. And they can't take it off my finger~"

"Do your limbs regrow?" One of the scientists asked me, taking advantage of my brutally honest state, "If your finger were able to grow back then we could remove the ring and continue with our testing."

"Don't cut her limbs off," Tony snapped, defending me, "Don't do anything to harm her in any way. I'm already pissed off that you're testing on her in the first place."

"But you knew this would happen," I pouted, catching Tony's attention, "You knew they would try to take my blood, and cut off my fingers, and look at my feptis-"

"Feptis, right that down," one of the scientists ordered another, "Sounds like an extra organ or bodily system."

"And you still fought for the Accords," I finished, very sad again, "Now I'm stuck here. They can't touch me...I didn't think the Talisman would protect me. But they'll find their way around it. They'll cut off my finger."

I sobbed loudly, head drooping down. Tony sighed, running a hand over his face. He seemed tired, and stressed, and a little sad at my current state.

"(Y/n), I know you're high on drugs right now- Is this normal? She's  _really_  loopy," Tony turned to the people around us.

"Her system is taking it harder than we thought, but we also gave her a higher dosage than normal just to be sure."

"Right," Tony looked back at me, "But listen to me. We're still working on the Accords. You broke the law, you're a criminal, but there are special circumstances around this so I'm seeing what I can do. I never wanted this (Y/n), you have to realize that. I wanted us to be put under control, for us to be accountable for the lives we were taking."

"I understand," I sobered up a bit, "You were doing what you thought were right, and I did what  _I_  thought was right. Maybe...Maybe there was a way all of us could have been happy. But we can't change all of this. Now that you're here, you see why I was scared, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do," Tony sent a glare at the doctors around us, "The others weren't as happy to see me as you are."

"I'm not happy at all. I'm sad, and angry, but you look so funny. Come here," I chuckled, leaning back. Tony stepped closer to me, and I made sure that my voice was actually quiet this time, "Steve is going to save me, he'll save all of us. You know that don't you?"

"I do," Tony said quietly back. He stepped away, turning to leave, "I'm sorry Princess."

After Tony left the scientists continued to move around me, every once in a while asking questions that I didn't bother answering. The Talisman was keeping me safe. They couldn't touch me if they wanted to hurt me. Knowing that, I closed my eyes, letting the drugs take over so I could sleep a little bit longer.

~*~

I woke up to alarms blaring. I groaned in discomfort, wishing I could use my hands to cover my ears. The scientists around me were yelling different things. Something about Steve breaking in and getting the other out? I smiled victoriously. I knew he would save us.

I glanced over at my IV. There was nothing left in the bags, and I felt a lot less loopy than I did before. The drugs must have been wearing off.

"(Y/n)?" Steve kicked down the door, ducking under a scientist who came at him with a scalpel, "Oh thank God you're in here. Hang on."

I watched as Steve took out all of the doctors in the room in seconds, using a pair of kes from the counter to free me from my binds. I rubbed my wrists, swinging my legs over the bed to run.

"No, no, no," Steve picked me up before I could argue, "You haven't walked in a while (Y/n), and we need to get out fast."

"Alright," I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding on tightly as he began to run, "I knew you would find me."

"I did," Steve smiled breathlessly, "With a little help from some friends you'll meet later. The others are already on the quinjet, it took longer to find you."

"Everyone is okay?"

"For the most part. A few scratches, bruises. Wanda is messed up from the collar they put on her, but they're alive. What about you?"

"They drugged me up, but that was it. The Talisman stopped them from doing anything else," I glanced down at the ring on my right hand, "Who knew it was so powerful. It makes me wonder if fighting against the Accords was really worth it if they couldn't touch me in the first place..."

"Don't think like that. You were going against the Accords for more than yourself, you were doing this for Wanda, for all of us," Steve scolded me.

"Right, I'm sorry. Tony came in to talk to me and I was drugged up so he got into my head. But he seemed sorry."

"That was before he found out Bucky killed his parents," Steve sighed sadly, "He turned against us pretty fast after that. Wouldn't even listen when I told him it was the Winter Soldier."

When we reached outside, I took in a breath of salty ocean air. Lifting my head up so I could look around, I nearly gasped in shock. The prison we were being held in was in the ocean, with no other structures or land visible as far as the eye could see.

Steve sprinted into a waiting quinjet, setting me down on a seat near the others. He kissed my temple, and said I love you before moving up front to pilot with Bucky.

"You good (Y/n)?" Sam asked from his seat across from me, "They didn't do anything weird?"

"Couldn't even touch me," I chuckled, full of euphoria at the sense of being free. I reached out to a small mini fridge full of water, "Guess I'm just that good. What about you guys?"

"I'm fine," Sam shrugged.

"I switched sides, surprise surprise," Nat pulled me into a quick hug.

Wanda stayed silent. I frowned, moving over to her and kneeling in front of her. She avoided my gaze, looking down at her hands instead.

"Hey," I reached out and grabbed one of her hands, "You're okay. We're in this together right? Misunderstood spectrum?"

"Misunderstood spectrum," Wanda whispered, smiling slightly.

"Where's Clint and Scott?"

"Ross came in and offered them a house arrest deal," Nat explained, "That way they could be with their families."

"I don't blame them, being a hero with a family is hard." I took a long drink from the water I had grabbed. I would have to drink a few of those so I could pass the drugs out of my system completely, even if I wasn't under their effects anymore.

Sitting down again, I took a look at everyone around me. They seemed- Not necessarily happy. We couldn't really be happy about the fact that they Avengers were disassembled, but all of us were content. We lost half of our ranks, but avoided the consequences of the Accords. And Steve and I would be able to get married, which brought up another issue that I had to think about on the way to...Well I wasn't sure where we were going.

I looked up front and through the cockpit window. Steve and Bucky seemed to know exactly where they were flying. I didn't even know where they got the quinjet in the first place. All of us were criminals to almost the entire world, "Hey Steve, where are we going?"

"You know your prince friend T'Challa? He figured things out and switched sides."

I laughed in disbelief. The same T'Challa I had butted heads with in the van? Who was so hellbent on killing Bucky? If Steve got the quinjet from Wakanda, which was supposed to be a third world country, that meant-

"Don't tell me-"

"We're going to Wakanda. And it's a lot different from what you may think."

 


	24. Orveon

The days after we got to Wakanda were long and tiring.

T'Challa met us and welcomed all of us with open arms. He apologized for fighting against our side before, and explained when and how he discovered the truth, and that he was the one who caught Zemo.

All of us slept for nearly a day before we were up and figuring out a long term plan. While I wanted to settle down in Wakanda and try to live a normal life, there was that hero part of me that still wanted to fight. Everyone else was the same way. There were things we had to do, people we had to help. Steve wanted to track down the last of Hydra and take them out once and for all. Now that we were criminals, we had to find discreet places that wouldn't rat on us to stay in while we were travelling. That would take time.

On top of that, the doctors in Wakanda revealed that they had technology that could help Bucky, but it would require him going into cryo-freeze. It was tearing Steve apart, being separated from his best friend again, and it brought up a few ideas in my mind.

While the others were distracted with thoughts of fighting and running from the law and the other Avengers, my thoughts were on a wedding. Steve and I swore to each other we would get married once the fighting over the Accords was over, and while the Avengers splitting up wasn't the ending we wanted, it was what we got.

Getting married on Earth was highly unlikely. We could have a wedding in Wakanda, but it would technically be under the law and there were people I wanted with me that wouldn't be able to come to Earth. So, I wanted to go back to Orveon for the first time in nearly ten years, and get married there.

"Bucky," I knocked on Bucky's door, stepping inside when he opened it, "I know you've been thinking about cryo, but there's another method I think could work."

"What is it?"

"It's a form of magical therapy. I can't do it, but there are people on Orveon that I know are capable."

"You want to go home? But I thought-"

"I talked to Steve, and the others. We can't get married here. If we go home, and have the wedding there, then it would be official  _somewhere_ , and my family could be present. You could get the help that you need."

"I trust you, and if Steve says he's okay with travelling to another planet..." Bucky paused for a second, processing what he just said before he spoke again, "Then I'll try your magical therapy."

"Wonderful! We leave at sunset. Oh, and it'll be around dinner time when we get there so don't eat anything."

I left Bucky's room to go back to my own. The others were busy with packing, and I had yet to put anything into a bag.

"Bucky said he's in," I told Steve, almost laughing at how confused he seemed, "What's wrong?"

"What should I wear to meet your parents?" He asked, looking over the few clothes he had from Wakanda, "I mean, it's the first time, but they're royalty so that makes things even more complicated."

"You'll get clothes when you get there," I assured him, "Our style is a bit more medieval than Earth's, so no matter what you wore you wouldn't fit in."

"That's comforting," Steve sighed, throwing a few things in his bag before zipping it shut, "Are you sure you want to go home? You've always had mixed feelings about it."

"Ever since I went to Kamar-Taj, I've felt better about where I stand with who I am and with my family. I'm ready."

~*~

In one of the fields just outside of the Wakandan palace, I had my luggage and communicator in my hand. Steve, Nat, Bucky, Sam, and Wanda were around me with their own bags.

"What exactly are we doing out here?" Nat crossed her arms, brow raised, "Don't tell me a spaceship is going to come out of nowhere and beam us up."

"Of course not. I'm going to summon the Bifrost, but I need to call my parents before we leave. They don't exactly know we're coming," I activated the com, holding it up to my ear, "Ejo, gysk? Aq qlypwin jyesh."

"Fah hew alogn?"

"Oru. Nídd ly fosba dian."

I ended the transmission quickly, not wanting to bring forth an awkward conversation before I saw them in person.

"Alright, travelling by Bifrost for the first time can be a bit...jarring. Heimdall can send us straight to Orveon so we won't have to stop in Asgard. Everybody ready?"

"How bad can it be?" Wanda chuckled nervously.

"Heimdall!" I called out to the sky, "Send us to Orveon!"

Light struck down around us, sucking us into the air. I glanced over at everyone. They seemed alright for their first time.

"Look," I pointed out a small cluster of planets, "That's the Hexar System, and the Gamoid. Isn't it all beautiful?"

"It's..." Steve trailed off, at a loss for words.

Our feet touched down on the smooth stone of the castle courtyard. I waved at my approaching family, paling when I heard retching behind me.

"Nat in the bushes, in the bushes!" I pulled Nat over to the blue bushes lining the road, "Puking on the road is the last thing we need. You good?"

"It was like going on the Tilt-A-Whirl ten times in a row," Nat groaned, wiping her mouth with her sleeve, straightening back up when she was finished.

"(Y/n) Vala Altovar," my mother snapped, startling me. I faced her, smiling nervously, "Bagn fah coah zawjep ke dian ev moge ta puxba ofdwak dy riv seonsao?"

"Zu yetwals," I pointed at Steve, "Ke quagni, pujo lachin english."

"English?" My mother repeated.

"Quagni?" Father fretted.

"Yetwals?" Varian asked jokingly.

"Yeah, we have a lot to catch up on. But, that might be something for dinner."

"Alright, I'll have someone take you to your rooms. You'll need to visit Madame Teyla," Mom motioned to all of us, "While out air and atmosphere are similar to Earth's, there are differences that you may find difficult. She'll help."

"She might also tear you limb from limb when she sees what you're wearing," Varian looked over my Midgardian outfit, "We'll see if it's worse than the day she found out you were training with the soldiers."

"Uhara," my father waved down a nearby servant, "Please take these humans to the guest hall, and (Y/n) to her old wing. (Y/n), I assure you can find your way to Madame Teyla's?"

"Yes Father, thank you."

Our group began to follow after Uhara. As the front doors loomed over us, Dad called out to me.

"(Y/n), we're glad you're back."

I smiled, glancing back at them. Even if I was the black sheep, and even if there were some unresolved issues my family was still family.

My eyes filled with unshed tears as soon as we stepped into the palace. The decorations had changed, but it was still the palace I grew up in.

"Damn," Sam let out a low whistle, "You wanted to leave all this?"

"It is quite beautiful," Wanda agreed.

"Look what you're marrying into," Bucky smirked, nudging Steve.

"A beautiful home for a beautiful woman," Steve kissed the back of my hand.

"If you'll follow me please," Uhara briskly walked up to the center staircase, taking two rights, "Every room in this hall is prepared for guests. Feel free to pick any. Princess, would you like me to take your bag to your room?"

"That would be lovely thank you, and if you could take Steve's as well," I passed her mine and Steve's bags.

"Someone will retrieve you for dinner," Uhara curtseyed and left.

"Go ahead and pick a room. Once you drop off your luggage, come back here because if we don't visit Madame Treyla soon you may find your organs shutting down."

Everyone rushed into the room closest to them when I said that. I chuckled.

"Why would our organs shut down?"

"Like my mom said, we breathe oxygen but the atmospheric composition is different. I adapted to Earth's so well because Asgard is a middle ground."

"Alright, let's not die," Nat stepped out of her room first, the others following soon after.

"Good, she lives at the edge of the village so we can take an Ookin carriage."

"What's an Ookin?" Steve questioned.

"It's sort of like a horse," I explained, leading the others back out of the palace to the front, "But they're bigger, and more orange, and more deadly- Oh look my parents prepared a carriage!"

The others let out screams of shock when they saw the dark orange creature looming over them.

"Eldia!" I brushed my hand over the Ookin's furred nose, "Oh you're gorgeous now. Guys this is Eldia, she basically grew up with me. Don't worry, she wouldn't hurt a fly."

"As much as I'm loving this, I don't want my organs to shut down," Sam broke me out of my excitement.

I winced. I had been so excited about having the chance to see everything from my childhood, that I had been more absent minded than usual.

"Right, right. Eldia, to Madame Teyla's house please. Everyone in, three on a side," I allowed the others to get inside of the carriage before I got in myself.

"So, if everyone on your planet can shift, what's stopping someone from imitating you?"

"They can't," I looked out the window, admiring the vegetation around us, "Yes, our subjects can shift, but only into one or two other forms. When they're children they might shift into a neighbor or a race they saw in a book. The royals are the only ones who are poly-shifters. Our genes are dominant so our children are purple and poly-shifters as well."

"Huh," Wanda hummed in interest, "That makes sense."

A comfortable silence fell over the carriage, the group staring out the windows to look at the place I was born. As the castle village came into view, the carriage slowed to a stop.

"Just a quick warning, Madame Teyla can be a bit frightening. Stand up straight and speak clearly," I warned everyone before stepping out of the carriage, "Madame Teyla!"

Teyla opened her front door as soon as I called her name. Her scarlet skin had more wrinkles and signs of aging than it used to, but everything else seemed exactly the same. Her grey eyes looked over every one of us, picking out our flaws.

"Hewül venfajud ev cenful," she stepped aside, allowing us into her home, "Hewül  _goane_."

"It's jeans and a t-shirt," I flushed violet in embarrassment, even though the others didn't understand.

"English? What have you forgotten your own language?" Terla led us to a sitting room, pointing at the seats.

"I would never forget my language," I was offended at the notion.

"Sure," Madame Teyla moved about the room, picking up different vials and herbs, "You leave for ten years and come back with humans."

"They're my friends, here for the wedding," I tried to explain as she mixed everything together in a large pot, "Nat, Wanda, Sam, Steve, and Bucky."

Teyla hummed, stepping towards us. After looking everyone over once again she began to correct everything they were doing wrong.

"Pull your shoulder back, chin up, uncross your legs only ankles are acceptable, my Atreya your hair is unruly, you," she stopped at Steve, "You have the stature of a dancer. You shall do quite well for (Y/n)."

"Thank you?"

"You lean forwards more than backwards, but your posture isn't affected," I explained, "Your graceful."

"You shoulda seen him when he first got his shield. That was anything but graceful," Bucky snorted.

"Madame Teyla-"

"Yes, yes, I know," the woman poured her oncotion into a cup, "Here, one sip each should be enough."

Taking the first drink, I grimaced at the bitter taste left in my mouth, passing it on to Steve.

"Right, here we are," Teyla held up a small glowing device, tapping a button so it could expand, "This will examine your bodily systems to make sure they're functioning properly. (Y/n), you first."

I straightened up as she moved the scanner over my body. The others watched in interest as the device worked.

"Yes...Your stress levels are high, and your feptis is malnourished. Do they not have gunga on earth?"

"No, they don't," I shrunk under her intense glare.

"I'll be looking into substitutions. Steven, you're next."

"What's a feptis?" Bucky asked quietly.

"An extra organ. The one that helps us shift. Gunga is the key plant in a healthy diet for us."

After all the examinations were finished, all of us headed back to the palace. There, the others went into their rooms to change into outfits the servants had prepared. Steve an I went to my old room.

"Wow," Steve admired my old room, "It's big and...weird."

I laughed, pulling a pair of organic clothes from my bag. My room  _was_  a bit straigne. On the ceiling, the night sky was painted. THe wall my bed was on had a waist high shelf the length of the wall on each side, full of nicknacks. Opposite my bed was a large bookcase. The door to my bathroom and closet was another wall, and the last was full of pictures.

"My escape wall," I walked over to the torn book pages, "Whenever I read about a place I wanted to go, I put it up here."

"How many did you visit?"

"Two," I pointed them out, "Asgard and Earth. A few more I fought at when I was staying on ASgard, but I don't count battles."

"Why did you stop after two? There have to be at least a hundred here."

"Because of SHIELD, the Avengers, you," I nudged Steve playfully, "Now come on, the servants left an outfit for you on the bed."

While Steve was changing into his predetermined outfit, I was shifting through a few others.

"Mirror, retrieve past dinner outfits." Moving pictures appeared on the glass. I swiped through until I found one I liked, shifting into it.

"That tech is amazing," Steve marveled.

"It's not tech, it's magic," I corrected, smirking when I saw him all dressed up, "Well don't you look like a prince."

Steve smiled sheepishly, tugging on one of his sleeves. A small knock at the door told us that it was dinner time. We met Uhara at the door, the others herded behind her in their own outfits.

"All of this is very medieval," Bucky commented, motioning to everything around us.

"You guys ride in carriages, but have mirrors that are like cameras," Steve added in.

"Worlds with a deeper connection to magic are less reliant on technological advancements, I explained, pausing just before the dining room door.

"Are you alright your majesty?" Uhara questioned cautiously.

"Fine," I grit out, pushing open the door, "I just haven't had dinner with my family in a while."

My parents and brother were already waiting when we all stepped inside. I instinctively took the seat I had since childhood, Steve sitting next to me, and the others spreading out randomly in the remaining seats.

The food was brought out by servants and set across the table. Despite my nerves, I grinned. One of the things I missed most about home was the food.

"This looks interesting," the Avengers grimaced at the sight of our food.

"It's similar to beef on Earth, but a bit easier to cut. It's quite delicious," I reassured all of them.

I began to dig into my meal. Steve was the first to try his. When he didn't immediately spit it out, the others tried theirs as well.

"So have you come to invite us to your wedding?" My father seemed a bit upset asking that, "It's on Earth, isn't it?"

"Actually, we wanted to get married here. Soon. Like this week."

My father choked on his drink. Mother dropped her fork. Varian seemed to think it was the funniest thing in the world.

"Oh sis, that is too good! What did you do? Get banned from Earth?" Varian was so caught up in his laughter he didn't notice the uncomfortable looks our group shared.

"Varian this is serious," Mother scolded, clapping her hands, "Mortis, get the binder."

"What binder?"

"I've been planning this since the day you were born. Everything will be handled. After dinner we'll discuss things further."

The rest of dinner was spent chatting idly. Bucky and Sam were snarky so they got along well. My mother was interested in the female politics of Earth so she talked with Wanda and Nat, and Steve talked to my father about the 'common good' for civilians.

I stayed silent most of the time, just enjoying my good and the company. I felt more at home in those moments than I had in my childhood, or on Earth. Old family met new family and created the perfect time.

After dinner the others were led back to their rooms, but Bucky was led to the doctors he could work with to get better. Varian retired, and Steve and I went into a sitting room to discuss the wedding.

"This is the binder," Mom dropped a large book onto the table, "Final decisions and invitations will be made tomorrow. For now, we'll do simple questions to get an outline. Traditional or Terran?"

"Mix."

"Gold or silver?"

"Gold."

"Colors?"

"Purple and blue?" I looked to Steve, who nodded.

"Music?"

"We'll handle that."

"Guest list."

"Close friends and high standing."

"Anything else?"

"I don't think so," Steve and I both shook our heads, "I am trusting you two. Don't blow it."

"Said like a true Terran," Mother sighed, closing her book, "Tomorrow will be dress fitting. Nine in the morning."

"Steve, you'll join me to get your suit done."

"I understand, thank you Your Highness."

"Call me Holdren, you'll be my son soon enough."

~*~

The next morning, Steve went with Bucky, Sam, and my father to get all of their suits tailored and made for the wedding. Nat, Wanda, and I went with my mother to figure out their dresses and my own.

"I had the seamstress start on an idea. Obviously you can't just shift into a gown, that would stray very far from tradition. And here it is!"

"Oh my Atreya!"

Wanda looked on in horror, "It's so poofy."

Nat barked out a laugh, tears springing to her eyes, "I love this planet so much."

"Try it on, try it on," Mother pushed me behind a magic changing screen.

I pulled the monstrosity over my head, nearly getting lost in the layers of fabric. When I pulled my head through, I felt the tightness along my torso. Tightening threads, similar to a corset. Lifting up my skirts, I waddled out and spun in a small circle i front of the others.

"No." I said without hesitation, "This is not happening. I can barely breath, much less walk and feel comfortable. On top of that, it's  _very_  purple."

"It is a bit much," Nat agreed, snickering under her breath.

"It's purple in purple," Wanda continued, "Which, (Y/n) looks lovely in all colors but for a wedding dress it's too much."

"This dress was based off of my own," Mother crossed her arms, brow raised.

"Oh," all three of us shared a grimace, "It's not that bad..."

"I hated my wedding dress more than you can imagine. Your grandmothers forced me to wear it," my mother laughed, waving over the seamstress, "I just wanted to mess with you a bit. Can you pull out the set?"

"Yes Your Highness."

"I was so scared I would have to wear this," I sighed in relief, walking back behind the screen to get out of the dress, "So how many dresses are in the set?"

"Five so far, all different. Some with gold and white, purple and white, or a mix of all three. Since you wanted Terran and traditional I did some research. As soon as you said you were getting married I had the best seamstresses on Orveon start working on some. Anything you want to change can be, don't worry. And your ladies in waiting have a few options as well."

"Ladies in waiting," Wanda chuckled, chin resting on her hand, "Makes me sound a lot more classy than I am."

"No kidding, I've taken down governments and I get to be a lady in waiting for it."

"What kind of friends did you make on Earth?"

"Weird ones," I grunted as I pulled the purple dress over my head, leaving it in a large pile on the floor, "So what dress is  _really_  first?"

"Dress number one," a white dress was thrown over the screen.

"It was a ballgown, but still not as big as the other one. The border was purple, and the long sleeves were covered in golden lace.

I stepped out in front of the others, looking at myself in the mirror. It wasn't bad. The seamstress adjusted some of the fabric as I stood.

"I like the idea of the border, but that dress is a no for me," Wanda gave her opinion.

"Yeah, the sleeves clash, and it's pretty warm here."

"Number two then."

Number two was drastically different. The empire skirt was bunched around my feet, making it near impossible to walk. Purple lace snaked up my neck, irritating my skin and scales.

"I don't think this is the one," I pulled up the gold belt around my waist, "I like the belt though."

"I have something in storage," the seamstress rushed into her rows of clothing, her broken english flowing back to us, "It was made for ball, but it could be perfect wedding dress."

She came back with a dress laid over her arm, draping it over the screen. I carefully walked back behind, taking off dress #2 and put on the new one. As soon as I touched the smooth fabric I liked it. It felt like silk on the inside, with a few layers of tulle that poofed up the outside to an A-Line.

"Guys," I took a few tentative steps towards the others, "I think this is it. This is the one."

"You look beautiful," Mother took the belt off of dress #2, wrapping it around my waist, "And there's the finish touch. The off-shoulder makes it easier for us to give you your markings as well. Acina, would you be able to make the sleeves and top and bottom border gold?"

"Of course Your Highness."

"You got your purple," Nat motioned to the fading purple climbing up the bottom, "I think Steve will like it."

"Steve would like you walking down the aisle in a garbage bag. He worships the ground you walk on."

"You picked a good man then," Mother pulled out a com screen, sending out a few messages, "Women are inherently more capable of ruling."

"Amen!" Wanda and Nat called in unison.

I walked back behind the screen for the last time changing back into my original outfit. When I came back out, Wanda and Nat were being ushered into the maze of clothing surrounding us by Acina. I took a few steps to join them before they were out of sight, but my mother stopped me from going any further.

"They'll be fine. I told her the ladies in waiting dresses were to be blue. Trust her. There are a few things I wish to talk to you about."

"Like what?" I asked nervously, sitting down on the couch behind us.

"Well, darling, you leaving so suddenly and willingly all those years ago hurt us," she admitted, taking my hands in hers, "You were so glad to be able to leave us. Leave your planet behind."

"I know what I did hurt you Mother, but I was hurting too. I wasn't born to sit idly and be served life from a golden spoon. I know I was constantly breaking traditional and social expectations by training with the soldiers, but if they got to learn to fight, why couldn't I?"

"Because darling, not everyone in the universe shares out mentality. If we were to ever be put under the threat of war, we had to protect our people."

"That what I wanted to do!" I cried out, desperate that she understand, "I wanted to go out there and use my abilities for good. I wanted to save lives, and change minds. There are so many people suffering in the universe...I spoke to Atreya. Not hypothetically, I really  _spoke_  to her, and she told me that it was okay to be who I was. I want to believe that by being different I'm doing what a hero should."

"Oh  _ursbi_ ," Mom pulled me in for a tight hug, "We knew you were hurting, I'm sorry you felt so out of place all those years. But you could have talked to us about what was bothering you."

"No offense Mom, but I don't think you would have understood. I just knew that I wasn't meant to stay. I'm sorry that leaving hurt you, and I'm sorry it took so long for me to come back."

"You were helping people, and making friends, and falling in love. You never would have done that if we made you stay here. You're different, but it's people breaking the mold that are the ones who ignite change. From what I've heard from our calls, and news that flows through, that you've been doing a good job with that."

"Not to toot my own horn but I have," I laughed slightly, pulling Mom into a tight hug, "I love you, so much. I wouldn't be as strong as I am today if all of you weren't there to guide me."

"We're so proud of you. No matter what we may have implied or said, that will never change."

"Hey (Y/n), so we found some dresses and we wanted your opinion on how long-" Nat stopped mid sentence when she saw our tearful eyes, "Oh this is a family moment."

"We can um, we can go look for a few more," Wanda offered awkwardly.

"No it's okay," I laughed slightly, running my hands under my eyes, "We need to get down to business. I still have to look over the rest of the details for the wedding before Saturday."

"Don't worry (Y/n), you've got us to help you out, we won't mess up. At least not too much, you said you like Sokovian love songs didn't you?" Wanda smirked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Don't add Sokovian love songs to our wedding playlist I swear to Atreya," I chuckled, jumping up so we could look over their dress options.

"What about Russian love songs?"

I rolled my eyes, holding up two of the dresses so we could compare and contrast. Acina gave her opinion on a few of the fabrics as well, allowing the process to go much faster.

Two days until I would be getting married.

 


	25. Vustlume

"I can't breath, I think I might be dying."

"Don't be dramatic (Y/n), you're not dying you're getting married."

"I mean her freedom to bone whoever she wants is all but dead."

"Nat!" I gave the woman a warning glance, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose. It would ruin the  _adieb_  looping around my eyes. It was a sacred kind of paint, used in wedding and coronation ceremonies. It swirled down my arms, stopping at my wrists, looped over my shoulders, and travelled from the edge of my eye to my temple, "And I'm serious, I think the self tightening strings haven't stopped tightening since I put the dress on, I can't breath."

"Oh, that is an issue," Mother pushed on one of the buttons along my back, and I let out a breath of relief when it loosened so I was more comfortable, "There. Beautiful, and comfortable."

"If you weren't marrying Steve today I would snatch you up," Nat winked playfully, pulling out a moderately sized bottle from one of the pockets in her dress, "Here, I know you aren't affected by Earth's liquor as much, but brides do it a lot to take the edge off."

I snatched the bottle out of her hands, ignoring my Mother's horrified expression and I chugged the entire thing, wiping my chin and setting it on the vanity provided to us by the temple we were getting married in.

"Yeah, that helped, thanks a lot," I let out a slow breath, "Now I need a mint."

"Mint," Mom popped one in my mouth, "Lipstick," dark purple to match the bottom of my dress, and compliment the adieb "and this." It was a small tiara, adorned with jewels matching that of my belt, "This was the only thing I actually liked about what I wore to my wedding. Now it's your turn."

"Mom I'm going to start crying," I blinked back tears as she placed the crown on my head.

"Save the tears for the altar," Wanda encouraged, hands enveloped in red as she moved different items around the room as a final preparation.

"It's time," my father poked his head in, smiling brightly when he saw me, "You look gorgeous (Y/n)."

"Thanks Father," I looped my arm through his, walking slowly behind Nat and Wanda as they met up with Sam and Bucky.

My mother walked swiftly ahead of us and through the double doors where Steve was waiting to take her down the aisle. The walking down the aisle was one of the most Terran parts of the wedding, the rest more closely linked to our traditions.

Soon, Bucky and Nat walked together, then Sam and Wanda. Finally, it was our turn. I gripped onto my father tightly, worried I would trip or pass out if I didn't have something to ground me. I was curious to see who Mother had invited to the wedding, but my eyes were stuck on Steve. The paint on his cheeks was our tradition, and his suit was his.

"Do you give this man permission to be an equal to your daughter?" The officiator spoke clearly in english. The majority of our planet knew different languages, and english was pretty universal.

"I do," my father shook Steve's hand, and kissed my forehead, "Take care of each other."

I smiled slightly at Steve, taking his hands in my own as the wedding continued. This was where things got a bit complicated to plan. We had traditions we had to follow, but because Steve was traditional as well, there were areas we had to work through together.

"Under the eyes of our creators, God or Atreya alike, we are celebrating the vustlume of Steve and Princess (Y/n). As once said by Bearn Wixa 'Those who love are given the strength to survive the harshest of wars, for it is a power far beyond comprehension.' With a solid foundation from which to flourish, they shall commit their lives to each other. While marriage is sacred, it is also cause for tremendous joy.

"(Y/n) and Steve, as you learn to live as one; you will encounter many challenges that can help you grow. It is not only the magic that shall keep you to your vows, but deep love and respect as well. Let us begin the binding."

Steve and I gripped each other's right wrists. The officiator placed both of his hands over ours, mumbling a few words under his breath. A stinging heat spread up my arm, and the flowing lines on my arm glowed brightly, Steve's painted cheeks glowing as well.

"Do you swear to love each other until your time to leave this realm comes?"

"We swear."

"Do you swear to adhere to the morals and ideals you two share and create?"

"We swear."

"The binding is done," the glowing paint died down, "Now, you may say the vows you have written to each other. Princess, you may go first."

"Alright," I took in a deep breath, trying in vain to calm my nerves, "Steve, when we first met, both of us were struggling. But when we became closer, and found each other, it seemed like the answers just appeared magically, trust me I would know. So, Steve, I choose you again and again, at the start and finish of every day and battle. I choose you no matter the struggle or ease. I choose you knowing there are paths we need to choose, and difficulties to face. I choose you, now and forever."

"(Y/n), coming out of the ice was one of the most difficult things I had ever been through. I was thrown into a new world where nothing felt right. But you...You did. Being around you made me feel like I was more than Captain America, more than a shield. I promise to give you the best of who I am. I'll trust and respect you as your own person, and be next to you through every positive and negative. Now and forever."

"Thank you for sharing your vows with all of us. The rings you are about to place on each other's fingers are symbols of the love you have expressed. They will be a physical symbol of the promises you have made."

Bucky and Nat stepped forward, giving us the other's ring. Steve and I slowly pushed the ring onto the other's left ring finger. I stared down at the sparkling diamond. This was it. The moment where reality really seemed to crash down. I was with Steve, forever.

"With the power bestowed upon me by those of the royal family, and Atreya herself, I announce you to the Nine Realms as husband and wife. You two may kiss."

Steve grinned excitedly, cupping the back of my neck to pull me closer.

"I love you," he whispered, breath fanning over my lips.

"To Earth and back," I pushed myself up on my toes, connecting my lips to his.

The crowd around us burst into applause. It roared in my ears, making the soft texture of Steve's lips even more monumental.

"I now introduce, their Royal Majesties, Steve and (Y/n) Rogers!"

Applause erupted again as we jogged down the aisle. We had thirty minutes before the reception, which would mostly be spent taking 'pictures' around the palace.

"Eldia I'm married!" I yelled excitedly at my Oolorn, "To the palace."

Steve and I had a carriage to ourselves, with a carriage with the other Avengers and the documenter behind us, and my family behind them.

"Alright, remember, smiles and handshakes. The government officials will state their town, family friends will only say their names."

"Government? I thought this was a monarchy," Steve stared out the window at the villagers lining the streets.

I smiled and waved out the window, "Call us a monocracy. It allows the people to elect representatives. They create and discuss laws, projects, so on. However, the monarchy has the higher power, and the final say."

"What if a royal is evil?"

I couldn't help but laugh a bit at that, "In a world where everything is sunshine and rainbows, what exposure to evil would there be to a child? Books? Me craving to fight is a bit of a different story."

"Well your system is still better that America's."

"Don't need to tell me twice," I chuckled, stepping outside of the carriage as we stopped in front of the palace.

"Alright everyone, into the garden," our documenter, Bynlo, cried out as soon as his carriage stopped.

We took many pictures in the garden. A few with Steve and me, Steve and the guys, me with the guys, Steve with the girls, me with the girls, all of us, me and my family, and Steve with Bucky.

When we had all the pictures we wanted, Bynlo sent everything he took to our devices- Orveonian devices that is.

"The guests are ready and waiting in the ballroom," Uhara informed us.

Our group left the garden and entered the grand ballroom. Half of it was being taken up by tables, and the other was free for dancing later on.

Steve and I waved to everyone as we entered, taking a seat. Food was soon served. We ate as fast as we could, then stood up to speak with everyone who had come.

The government officials welcomed me home, and updated me on past political situations. Family friends gave me tight hugs, asked Steve about himself, and about our lives on Earth, which we fudged a bit.

We went through nearly all two hundred guests, with only a single table near the back left.

"Only one more table and then dancing and- Wait, Odin?"

The King of Asgard was leaning back comfortably in his chair, drinking his glass of wine. As soon as I saw him, I knew something was a bit off. Maybe it was his clothing, or the lack of formality, or the fact that he came at all.

"Your parents sent an invitation to Asgard for Thor. He is off travelling, so I came in his place," Odin explained, standing up to give me a small hug, "A pleasure to see you again my dear."

"Thank you Odin, I was terribly sorry to hear about Frigga's passing, she was a second mother to me."

"Her soul smiles down upon the both of you from Valhalla," Odin assured the two of us, "As does Loki's, if he ended up in Valhalla, that is."

Odin chuckled slightly after, and I raised my brows in shock for a moment. I didn't expect Odin to mention Loki, much less make a joke about him. Still, hearing my best friend's name brought a smile to my face, and tears to my eyes.

"Thank you Allfather, it is an honor to have you here."

"Yes, well, I'm afraid there is urgent business in Asgard that I must attend to. I just wished to speak to you two, and give you this in person," Odin placed a small box in my hand. He then turned to Steve, giving him what I could only describe as a defeated smile, "Take care of her, Captain."

Odin rushed off. Steve and I watched him go, both of us extremely confused about what just happened. I looked at the box in my hands. It was forest green, with small textured gold lines running across it. When I ran my finger along the edges, I felt a few moving pieces, reminding me of the box puzzles on Earth that you had to solve.

"That was weird," I stated blandly, walking over to set the box on the gift table Father had insisted on setting up. There were gifts in various sizes in colors, some wrapped intricately, and some with minimal decorations.

"Plexar Pwenu," Steve read off the name of a corked bottle the size of his hand, "Increases the chance of conception. Simply pour over fingers and insert-"

"Okay!" I grabbed the bottle out of his hand, setting it back on the table and rushing to get back to the head table, "Let's save looking over the presents for later, yeah?"

Back at the head table, Nat pulled her phone out, showing off the playlist her and Wanda had worked on. They spoke with my parents about speakers, and got the closest thing we had to bluetooth in return.

The first dance was one with my father to an ABBA song, the second with my brother to something from- Tarzan is what they called it? The third was my dance with Steve to La Vie en rose, a reminder of how our relationship started. After those dances, anyone could do what they wanted with the music that played through.

Noticing Varian off to the side, I said a quick word to Steve, and wandered over to him. He seemed spaced out, so I nudged his side, "Smile Varian, this is my wedding!"

"I never thought  _you_  would get married before me."

"Ouch," I giggled lightheartedly, "You'll find someone Var. Let's see...There's Representative Zem's daughter, or the Kling's kid, they have nice hair..."

I trailed off when I noticed Varian's fixed gaze. Following his line of sight I grinned.

"Greer? Of course! Remember playing in the garden when we were children?"

"I do," Varian swallowed anxiously.

"Don't tell me you're scared," I laughed in disbelief, "Varian, people on Earth are ridiculed for who they love, but here you an be the bisexual disaster you are."

"They have labels for preference?"

"Yes. They're all wonderful people. Now stop stalling. Go over and ask him to dance."

"If I ask him to dance then I'll ask him out, and then Mother and Father will-"

"Not care. They love you. And there are ways in magic you can have children to create an heir."

Varian still hesitated. I rolled my eyes, pushing into the crowd. I grabbed Greer's wrist, dragging him behind me.

"Where are you taking me?"

"I'm about to change your life," I smirked, remembering a song from a popular musical.

"Lead the way then."

"Greer, you remember my brother," I stood near the two.

"Hi."

"Hi."

"I'll leave you to it." I watched as they interacted while I made my way back to Steve.

Ours wasn't the only love story being written.

~*~

"I don't want to go back to Earth," I whined like a child, flopping down on my bed, "This has been the best week of my life."

"We still have a four hour carriage ride back to the castle," Steve kissed a line from my shoulder to my jaw, "You can enjoy the last bits of your planet during that."

I grumbled into the sheets, remembering back to how many times we had become tousled in them over the past four days.

After the wedding, we travelled by carriage to a village near a small island that the royals owned. On the island was a 'cottage' that Steve and I used for our four day honeymoon.

The others stayed at the palace, obviously. Bucky had begun his treatments with our doctors, and the other three were allowed to use Eldia to travel wherever they wanted, with the castle covering their expenses.

"Come on," Steve gently tugged my hand, pulling me up and off of the bed, "Our boat is here."

"Alright," I sighed sadly, picking up the wooden puzzle box off of the bedside table. I had been working on it ever since I had got it, getting a fair way through.

Steve carried our bags down to the gondola at the edge of the island. The captain greeted us politely, and took off when we were settled inside.

When we reached the mainland, our Oolorn and carriage were waiting for us with the driver ready to go. Our bags were loaded up, and we stepped inside.

"What do you think is inside of that thing?" Steve motioned to the box I was fiddling with.

"I'm not sure. It'd Odin afterall, it could be anything from a magical artifact to a simple note," I pushed down on a certain piece, gasping when another layer of the metal seemed to roll away and disappear.

_"Password."_

"What the qwip," I whispered, looking to Steve as if he would know what the password was.

"You might just need to try random words."

"Alright, um, Allfather."

_"Denied, a bland guess."_

"Wow, it has a personality. Kind of reminds me of Loki," I chuckled, "Odin."

_"Denied, even worse."_

"Thor Odinson."

_"Denied. As if."_

"(Y/n) Altovar."

_"Denied. This isn't all about you."_

"It's my wedding present! (Y/n) Rogers."

_"Denied, you should have kept your maiden name."_

"Frigga."

_"Denied. Better choice."_

"Loki Laufeyson."

_"Denied. Cute."_

"Ugh!" I sank down in my seat, resisting the urge to throw the box out the window.

"Hey (Y/n), you know how you said it sounds like Loki?"

"Yeah," I huffed out, calming down a bit when Steve grabbed my hand.

"Well what if it's a password that only you and Loki know? What if he left it to you before- Well, you know. And that's why Odin gave it to you."

"Steve, you're a genius," I kissed his cheek, filled with a new determination, "Alright box. Let's try...Why is she purple?"

_"Denied. Nice try, Thor was always an oaf."_

I thought back to Asgard. I knew he wouldn't use anything we said to each other from New York. He was under the control of the scepter, and wouldn't want to remind me of his harsh words. Besides that, there was one other time. The first time we bonded, and became best friends.

"Magic is for those with brains."

A tense pause filled the carriage, before the box beeped in acceptance. Three small clickes sounded, and a small ratchet lever popped out of the side, similar to the ones on music boxes.

"Wait," Steve grabbed my wrist before I could begin spinning this, "Are we sure this is a good idea? If this is really from Loki, who's to say it isn't a bomb, or some magical item that could kill us?"

"I know- I knew my best friend Steve, he would never do that. You don't have to trust him, but trust me," I kissed his inner wrist, motivating him to let me go. When he did, I began to spin the lever.

_"What's wrong Loki?"_

Instead of music playing from the box, a small hologram appeared. It was me, a ten years younger me speaking to a ten years younger Loki.

_"Nothing. Let's go over that spell again."_

_"You seem upset, you can talk to me. You know that."_

_"What would I talk to you? You're nothing more than some girl here to teach me magic. So I order you to teach me this spell."_

_Instead of seeming scared, younger me put a hand on younger Loki's shoulder._

_"It has something to do with Thor, doesn't it? He had that big match today, and beat one of the best warriors in the kingdom. Is that it?"_

_"What- No, you're- That's completely preposterous."_

Even through the green tinted hologram I could spot the blush forming on Loki's cheeks. I glanced over to Steve. He was entranced, watching the threat that brought the Avengers together as a small child.

_"You may be the God of Lies Loki, but I can see right through you. What's upsetting you about Thor and his match?"_

_Young Loki sighed in defeat, "He's so strong, and fights so well. Father seems so proud of him. But I can't fight like that, I can only use knives well and that won't get me very far in battle. I feel like a disappointment."_

My throat tightened. My eyes welled up with tears. This hologram was bringing back so many memories. Even to the very end, Loki was trying to prove himself. No one understood him like I did, no one even tried.

"Hey, you can stop and come back to it later if you want to," Steve assured me, moving from his side of the carriage to mine so he could hug me.

"No, I'm, I'm okay." I steeled my nerves and continued to spin the lever.

_"A disappointment? I know exactly what that feels like. I'm the black sheep in my family too, but deep down, I know they still love me. You've seen how proud Frigga is when you show her the spells I'm teaching you, haven't you? It's the same kind of pride that Odin expresses when Thor fights."_

_"I still wish I could do more."_

_I barked out a laugh at that, "You want to know something Loki? Magic is for those with brains. Thor uses his fists rather than his mind and it's going to get him into trouble. But you, you stop and think, and work things out so they're in your favor. Besides, daggers are much easier to conceal, and throw."_

_"Thanks (Y/n)," Loki hesitantly pulled me into a small hug, "I feel better knowing I'm smarter than that oaf."_

_"Well you don't know Groot, but you're learning faster than I would have ever thought," I giggled, pointing at the spell book in front of us, "Now, let's get back to this."_

The hologram faded away, and the box's sides opened up like a flower blooming. My brows furrowed upon seeing what was inside. A small dagger, the blade the length of my hand and the width of three fingers.

"Is it going to come alive and kill us?" Steve peeked inside the box, eyeing the dagger warily.

"I hope not, that'd be a bad way to end our honeymoon," I reached inside and took the knife out. The handle was green, the blade silver, but gold shimmered along the blade. It was an inscription, "'You know what's easier to conceal than a dagger? You can find out by saying  _ika.'"_

At my command the knife grew hot, shifting into a small gold ring set with emeralds along the band. I hummed in appreciation, slipping it onto my right pointer finger.

"Two rings from other people and two from you, step up your game," I smiled teasingly at Steve.

Steve rolled his eyes at my statement. When I glanced at the box again I noticed a folded up piece of paper. I pulled it out, unfolding it. Loki's formal script was immediately recognizable.

"(Y/n), upon hearing you were getting married I had this made. We aren't ruling together, but I have a throne nonetheless. Even through everything, you never made me feel like a monster. Perhaps you were wrong about that. But I want to make you right. The Fates didn't design us to be lovers, but our bond is deeper than most. It's that fact that tells me we'll meet again. Much love and mischief, Loki. P-S, try to stop me and I'll stab you."

"Son of a bitch," Steve mumbled, "He's alive."

"He's pretending to be Odin! That's why he came to the wedding, and why he was off and gave me this. Of course that nersh wouldn't die."

"Should we be worried about the real Odin?"

I shrugged, "Eh, he'll be fine. Loki would never outright kill him... On second thought we should be a little worried."

"We can look into it when we get back... Listen, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but the letter made it sound like-"

"We were lovers at some point?"

Steve nodded, gaze cast down as if he were ashamed. I wrapped my arm around his waist, nuzzling into his shoulder.

"We were together for around a year on Asgard. Teaching him, and the battles and balls, all of it brought us closer together. I won't lie, it was wonderful. We were outsiders, but we felt like we belonged with each other. But both of us began to realize we would be better off as friends. Something just didn't click. Then I found you, and understood why."

"Oh," Steve said quietly, "I think he still likes you."

"I think he might too," I sighed, looking out the window, "But he understands, and won't interfere with our relationship. He respects my wishes."

"Good," Steve left a kiss on the top of my head, "I'm weirdly glad he's alive. I know how much he meant to you, and I'm sure he wasn't that bad when he wasn't trying to take over the world."

~*~

When we got back to the castle, the others were waiting for us out front, bags packed. All of them were laughing, except for Bucky, who was scowling at Sam.

"What happened here?" I asked, having no choice but to join in their infectious laughter.

"Can't we just be happy?" Sam asked, grinning widely.

"Bucky fell down the stairs when we were coming down here," Wanda cut in, covering her mouth to hide her smile.

"Shut up," Bucky hissed, punching Sam and only Sam.

"We leave for a few days and you all fall apart," hugs were passed around, "How you feeling Buck?"

"Better than I have in a long time," Bucky sighed happily, "I may be missing an arm but the trigger words don't work anymore. The Winter Soldier is gone. Like magic."

"That was awful," Nat groaned at the pun, "Take us home, I'd rather get sick again than deal with this."

"Wait, just a minute," my family rushed out of the palace, "We want to say goodbye."

"I love you," Mother kissed my forehead, "Stay in touch, and don't take ten years to visit again alright? And have kids, at least a few. I want grandchildren."

"Mom," I growled, flushing violet, "You can't just say that."

"I'm a queen I can say whatever I want."

My dad pulled me into a hug as well, sniffling loudly, "I'll miss you. I love you very much. And if Steve ever does anything to make you upset I promise you that I won't hesitate to break tradition and beat-"

"Thank you Dad," I cut our conversation short, turning to Varian, "I'm gonna miss you Disaster."

"Haha," Varian laughed humorlessly, hugging me all the same, "I told them, and asked Greer out. Thanks. You're an okay sister."

"Jerk," I smiled slightly, happy that he felt free, "I'll stay in touch I swear, and visit sometime soon. Thank you, for the most beautiful wedding I could have asked for."

The group exchanged their own goodbyes with my family. Over the course of the past week and a half they had formed their own friendships. I once again felt a pang of pride. Old family and new family making a real family.

"Alright everyone, brace yourselves. Heimdall, send us back to Earth!"

Bright blue light surrounded us, and we were sucked into space, away from Orveon.

 


	26. New York

_"New York is one of the worst places you could have picked to go to."_

"I can shift into nearly any being in the universe. I'll be fine in New York for a day or two. It's been over a year since we went on that vacation for Varian's wedding, I need this."

_"We never discussed two days."_

"We just did. I'll be fine. Love you bye."

I hung up before Steve could continue the argument. He wanted to protect me, I understood that, but if he trusted me enough to travel to New York by myself, he should trust me to stay an extra night.

"This is it," I stared up at the tall building in front of me. The symbol displayed on the top-most window told me I was at the right place, "Time to fulfill my mission."

I lifted my hand and knocked on the sturdy door. Already having made it through all of the protective charms, they would have to answer the door.

"Who goes there?"

"You greet all your friends like that Stephen? Or has Wong rubbed off on you?"

"Little bit of both," Strange stepped aside to let me in, "What brings you here?"

"I need your help, and I want to pay my respects to the Ancient One. She told me what was going to happen."

"I prepared a shrine," Wong motioned for me to follow him, "It is for all the Ancient Ones that have passed."

"Thank you Wong."

It was a small room, lined with candles. In the center was a circle of chalk, magic consistently shimmering inside.

Slowly moving towards the circle, I knelt down and bowed my head. I reached inside my suitcase and pulled out a crystal the size of my hand. It was from my planet, fully charged and ready for use. Reaching forward I placed the crystal in the middle. The swirling light inside flashed rapidly until there was nothing left.

"Thank you for accepting my offering," I whispered to the empty room, "I hope your soul is resting well. Thank you for all your guidance. There are many things I wouldn't have been able to do without you."

I picked up my bag again and gave the magic circle one final bow of respect. It was short and sweet, but that was what the Ancient One would have wanted. There was no point in wasting time over what could have been.

Stepping out of the room I creened my head down either side of the hallway, searching for Wong or Strange so they could show me to a room I could stay in.

"Inviting yourself to stay with us, are you?"

I jumped as Stephen suddenly appeared behind me, "Atreya. You scared the crap out of me!"

"A hero who allows someone to sneak up on her? You haven't fought against a worldwide threat in too long it seems," Stephen teased, looking me over, "Or you're just losing your touch."

"Wouldn't you like to know," I pulled my bag behind me as he walked forwards, "How about a spar, me and you?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"No reason," Stephen shrugged casually, stopping in front of a door, "We clean once a week so it should be fine. How long are you staying?"

"Just tonight. It was only supposed to be today, but there are more things I want to do," I explained while setting my bag on the bed.

"And your husband was okay with that?"

"I didn't give him the chance to argue," I chuckled, "Anyways, I need your help with one of the things I'm here for. I'm trying to track someone down. Odin, King of Asgard."

"Why would Odin of all people go missing?"

"It's a long story, but I'm pretty sure he's here on Earth. Location spells are not my thing, so I was hoping you'd be able to help me out with one."

"Do you have anything of his, or of Thor's?"

"I have this," I pulled a rolled up piece of parchment from my pocket, "Thor used it to write to me a while back. Will it be enough?"

"If there's DNA left on it then it should be fine," Stephen scratched the paper until it fell out of existence, forming a few complicated symbols and motions with his hands. I watched in muted interest until he stopped completely, throwing his hand out. A portal appeared at the end of the hallway, "There you go, have fun. I trust you know your way back?"

"I found it the first time, it shouldn't be that hard," I assured Strange with a smile, "Thank you for helping me. I might be back a bit late so don't expect me for dinner or anything."

"Oh, you were expecting us to feed you?" Strange asked, sarcasm dripping from his tone, "Why, I would have started making something an hour ago if I knew that."

"Haha," I said humorlessly, stepping up and through the portal.

The world around me shifted, until I was in the middle of a sidewalk in front of a retirement home. I rolled my eyes, groaning in annoyance. Of course. Classic Loki. Somehow defeat your father and imprison him in his least favorite realm with his least favorite people.

I glanced around the street, making sure no one was explicitly watching me before I shifted into what I assumed could be a female version of Thor. Muscles, blonde, large smile. The criteria fit, and hopefully the staff would see the resemblance.

Normally shifting in public, especially when I was running from the law would be a big no, but people on Earth were always too absorbed in their own lives, their own problems to worry about what other people were doing.

Sucking in a deep breath I walked up the concrete steps and through the automatic doors. A cheery woman was waiting at the front desk, on the phone. I stepped up to her, waiting patiently until she put the phone down.

"Hi, how can I help you today?" The woman set the phone down.

"I'm here to see my...Uncle. His name is Odin."

"Right," the woman used her mouse to click a few things on the computer, "What is your name?"

"Tanya," I choked out, blanking on names slightly similar to Thor's I knew no matter what my name wouldn't be on there, so I would have to figure something out. Probably a spell.

"I don't see you on here," the receptionist hummed in confusion.

"Are you sure?" I wiggled my fingers in a similar way Wanda did when she used her powers, "Can you check again?"

The woman squinted at the screen, "Oh, there you are. Sorry about that. Go on right ahead. They're in the main room right now."

"It's alright. Thank you so much," I beamed, passing by her and walking through the door labelled 'Main Room'.

Inside it was bustling with elderly people. I sent those who looked my way smiles, weaving way through the wheelchairs and walkers. When I was in the center of the room, I spun around in a circle, seeking out the familiar face. I found him in a corner, completely silent and staring off into space.

"Odin?" I cautiously approached the man, worried he would lash out in anger when he saw me for not coming sooner, "I came to get you out, or visit, whatever you want."

The man stayed silent. Brows furrowed, I pulled up a chair and sat across from him. It was then that I noticed that the eye free of the eyepatch was misty, fogged over. Almost as if he was under some sort of spell...

"Loki I taught you well," I whispered to myself, slightly proud that Loki was able to out such a powerful spell on the King of Asgard, "Alright, what can we do here?"

The Talisman pulsed against my finger. I glanced down at it. It was glowing and ready for use. I reached out for one of Odin's hands, receiving no resistance when I pulled it towards me. Acting on instinct, I pressed the ring into his palm, wincing for him when a bead of blood formed. It took a lot to get an Asgardian to bleed.

The Talisman pulsed again, brighter and hotter this time. A small ringing noise seemed to be rolling off of it, but I wouldn't put it past myself if it was just my mind creating it to fill the tense silence.

"Come on Odin," I muttered, an aggressive tone hidden behind it, "You're better than this, you can beat this spell."

Odin grunted, eye blinking rapidly. I pulled the Talisman back, hopeful that that was enough. Odin reached out for my hand again, squeezing it tightly. His stone cold expression had morphed into a slight upturn of his lips.

"You have found quite the artifact my child," Odin announced his mental revival.

I laughed happily, "I'm glad I could bring you back. You were under quite the spell."

"Yes. Loki's work no doubt. Frigga would be so...Proud of him," the far off look returned to Odin's eyes and I grew nervous that he was falling back under again, "I can hear her voice, calling out to me."

"Odin," I said warningly, "You can't. We still need you. Thor and Loki. Asgard. There's something going on, you know there is. Something is brewing and we can't face it without you."

"My child," Odin placed a hand on my cheek, his smiling dropping, "I will resist long enough to see my sons again. I was not a perfect father, perhaps I wasn't even a good one. But I gave my sons the tools they need to fight their wars on their own. You too (Y/n). You are strong, steadfast in your opinions. What is to come can not be stopped, all you can do is fight as you always have."

"Thank you Odin," I sniffled, "Do you want me to call Heimdall to take you to Asgard?"

"No, not Asgard now," Odin leaned back in his chair, "Asgard is a people, and they will find home."

"Odin?"

"I'll be alright. You broke me out of the spell, and that's all I needed. If you ever need anything, you have a short amount of time to come to me. I'll be here until then."

"I understand," I stated, hesitant to leave Odin here. But I couldn't be the one to question his orders. He ruled the Nine Realms afterall, "May your soul ascend to Valhalla so you may be with Frigga once again."

"Thank you (Y/n), may the Fates be in your favor. You and my sons are so very lucky to have each other."

With that, I nodded in respect and left. Glancing at the clock, I was surprised when the time said it was eight at night. Looking around the room, it was confirmed by very few elderly people sitting around. When I came in, the room was nearly full.

The spell. It must have taken much longer than I imagined, messed with my consciousness and warped time. So it really wasn't quick and easy. It was long and slightly easy with a painful goodbye.

"Oh wow, I thought I just missed you leaving," the same receptionist commented when I stepped out, "It was a day visit then."

"Yes, time definitely flew."

"It's strange, no one has said that they were here for Odin since his son dropped him off years ago."

"His sons have been extremely busy travelling, and I was out of country," the lies rolled off of my tongue easily, "We've felt incredibly guilty about not being able to visit, but business has dragged us everywhere."

"I totally understand," the woman nodded, "Anyways, it's important that I inform you that we'll be demolishing this part of the chain in November. If you would like me to give you some transfer papers I would be more than happy to."

"Oh, no. His sons should be here to pick him up before then," I waved my hand dismissively, "Thank you for informing me though, I'll have to talk to them about that. Have a nice night!"

"You too!"

I stepped out into the crisp New York air. The sun was rapidly setting in the sky, almost under the horizon completely. Knowing how dangerous the city that never slept could be at night, I lifted my ring to my lips, the cool gem starkly contrasting the heat it was emanating earlier.

"New York Sanctum."

My body flickered out of existence,through the different realities until it dropped onto the doorstep of the New York Sanctum. It was considerably quieter inside the sanctum that it was just outside the door on the streets. It was still relatively early in the night, meaning that Wong and Stephen were likely still awake and working away.

Not wanting to bother them, I opted to wander a bit before I retired for the night to prepare for what I had to do in the morning.

In the main hall was nothing special, different artifacts scattered as makeshift decorations and protections against any evildoers. My feet took me down a familiar hallway and I found the artifact room once again. It was a bit more disorganised, most likely from Wong and Strange using the items inside.

In the hall across from the artifacts was the training facilities. Small rooms meant for changing, a large room for general training, and a normally sized room full of normal exercising equipment.

Besides that there was the other side of the building holding all of the bedrooms and bathrooms. Straightforward and, thankfully, easy to remember. After that quick tour I stayed in the bedroom hallway and used one of the bathrooms to take a shower. There were towels in the cupboards and soap in the shower. Fully stocked and ready for guests, as all of the sanctums were.

When I was stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around myself my foot slipped on a wet patch. The sudden jerking of my body before I caught myself was disorienting and made me dizzy. I let out a slow breath, leaning my head against the wall, hand on my stomach as if it would keep the rising bile down.

"That sucked," I muttered bitterly when the feeling passed, "I knew I would catch something by riding the subway. They're hotbeds for all sorts of diseases."

Moving more slowly now, I picked up my dirty clothes and stepped out of the bathroom, speed walking down the hall to my room so I could change.

Donned in new clothes I dropped the wet towel back off in the bathroom before retiring to my room for the rest of the night.

I sent Steve a few update texts about the Odin situation and assured him that I would be flying back to Wakanda the next night. Within that time, I still had to complete my other mission and I could spar with Strange in the morning.

~*~

The next morning I awoke aching all over, sweat perspiring over my entire body. Groaning I stumbled out of the too hot guest room. After a brief struggle with the doorknob, I nearly fell into the bathroom. The air wasn't any cooler, but that wasn't why I went through the effort to get there.

Clothes sticky with sweat, I peeled them off of my overheating body. Sitting down in the tub I switched the shower on to its coldest setting. The raining droplets hit my skin like pellets of ice. A shiver involuntarily ran through my body, but I stayed there.

The quick pitter-patters of the water was only sounds in the bathroom for at least five minutes until I turned it off, staying on the floor for another few seconds before I slowly stood up. No new sweat was forming on my body yet, and my vision was no longer dominating by fuzz along the edges.

"What the qwip was that," I sighed tiredly, wrapping the same towel I used the night before around my body, "Please don't tell me I'm dying Atreya, I don't need that right now."

Bringing my moist clothes with my I went back into my former bedroom and layed down again. The towel was the only thing around me, but I wasn't going to take any chance if I was going to overheat again and need a quick way to get back into the shower.

Sleep came and went uneasily, plagued with strange flashes of light and aches in my stomach. Light waves of nausea rolled over me as well. Nothing too drastic that would make me scurry to the bathroom again, but just enough to make me uncomfortable.

When the alarm went off on my phone, I was already awake, just waiting for the telltale noise to ring through the room.

"Time to fight Strange," I mumbled to myself, rolling out of bed.

I pulled on some loose clothes. Sweatpants and a shirt that in no way hugged my curves. I didn't need any tight clothes to pick up any sweat I may emit while training. For a few brief moments, I considered cancelling our sparring session, but Strange would call me out, and I wasn't one to back down from a fight.

Leaving the guest room I took the staircase down to the kitchen, looking through the barren cupboards for some food I could eat without the worry of it coming back up. There was nearly nothing, just some sweets here and there, and some odds and ends that formed kitchen essentials.

"There are some crackers in the cupboard above the fridge," Wong passed by me, on a warpath for the coffee machine, "We don't have much besides that. Strange usually goes out and buys food instead of making something. I don't mind."

"Thanks," I went up to my tip toes, fingers barely reaching the cracker box, "I was feeling sick last night, so these will be great before our sparring match."

"Strange is waiting for you in the training room," Wong said in response, "He got up early this morning. I can't tell if he's taking this too seriously or not seriously enough."

"There's a strange middle in there somewhere and that's where he rests most of the time," I took out a small pack of the snack sized crackers, quickly shoving some of them into my mouth, "Are you gonna watch?"

"It'd be best if I didn't get in the way," Wong shook his head, "Strange will inform me who wins your little match."

"Wish me luck then. It's hard to believe that the student will have had the chance to overcome the master," I chuckled, throwing the empty cracker packet into the trash.

I walked back up the staircase and down the right hall that led to the hallway dedicated to training. Pausing at the doorway to the temple like room, I took in a deep breath. While I did want to win, I also didn't want to go through another sick episode again, though I didn't feel anything clawing at the back of my mind.

"Holding off the inevitable?" Strange opened the door before I could even move my hand to the doorknob, "I didn't take you as one of those people."

"First impressions are often wrong," I smirked, stepping inside, "I'd like to get this over with quickly, I have other things I need to do."

"Arrogance will be your downfall," Strange took up his starting stance.

"Look who's talking, you had your head shoved up your kid when I met you."

Without a word to signify go, or an official start, the both of us charged towards each other. Within the first thirty seconds, I realized just how far Strange had come from the first time I taught him. Spells came easily to him, his hands moving with a grace and elegance that took my years to master.

Guess that's what came with a photographic memory.

I was at an advantage at first. With quick thinking I formed a sparking whip, flicking it at Strange with a deadly efficiency. Put on the defensive, he threw up a shield around his body. Using his short time of peace, he moved his hands together and apart, swiping it low.

I wasn't even aware of the spell coming towards me until I was lying on my back, coughing for air. Strange, not giving me any time to recover, formed a whip of his own. I yelped, rolling to the side as it struck down, jumping up the first chance I got.

"Are you  _really_  sure you should be doing this?"

I ducked down, rolling to the side. Giving Strange a confused look, I tapped my wrists together to form twin discs.

"I thought your trash talk would be better than that. Unless you're trying to get into my head."

"No, I'm not trying to throw you off. I'm curious because it's not just you I'm fighting. Is the baby going to be fine while you're doing this?"

Every system in my body shut down. All of my senses muted. There was a lash from the whip coming towards me, too late for Steve to stop, or for me to defend. I screamed out when it struck the ground next to me before disappearing.

"I'm so sorry (Y/n), the only thing I could do was try to change where it was going," Strange rushed over to me, genuine worry written over his face, "Are you alright?"

"What?" Was all I could choke out, "What did you say?"

"Are you alright?" Strange repeated.

"No, no. Before that. You uh- You said that...How did you- Am I really-"

"Oh, you didn't know, did you?" Strange asked blandly, "Sorry, my doctor instincts were kicking in. You seemed a bit different, and I heard you running to the bathroom this morning. Morning sickness?"

"No. See, I wasn't throwing up. I was really feverish and overall sick which isn't a sign of pregnancy on Earth, but it is on my planet...Nersh. Can we call this a tie?"

"I won."

"Tie it is then," I wiped some of the sweat from my forehead, "You threw me off a lot more than I thought you would be able to."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm not sure," I sighed uncertainty, crossing my arms over my chest, "They have doctors in Wakanda, and I have books that will help. But we're still on the run, going on missions as much as we can. Everything is going to change."

"For the better I hope. This is a chance at a family, you should take it Rogers."

"Thank you Strange," I smiled gratefully, "This has been fun but it also moved my plans forward a bit. I need to finish the other half of my mission and head back to Wakanda to talk to Steve."

"I understand. How long do you think?"

"Well I don't know how far in I am, but our pregnancies last on average a year because of our uh, advancements compared to humans. So...April of next year? I'll keep you updated."

"Please do," Strange nodded, "I don't have many friends besides Wong these days, and I get sick of him easily."

I laughed, "Thank you for allowing me to stay here for the night Strange, and for sparring me. Even if it didn't end the way I thought it would. I'll take my leave now."

"As you wish (Y/n), visit again soon, or after the baby is born. As long as it behaves I'll be fine with it."

"You have no idea how children work," with a role of my eyes I left the training room.

I changed back in my room and used a shrinking spell to shrink down my suitcase so it could fit into my purse. Catching Wong on my way out I said goodbye and stepped onto the New York streets.

It was time for my final mission, locating my target.

 


	27. Ursbi

It was warmer than I thought it would be, but the chill in the air reminded me that it was still relatively early in the spring season. Breathing in the city air, I nodded once and set off down the sidewalk.

I had done my research before coming here for my mission, and knew exactly where I would spend my time looking out for my target. A Panera Bread on the route they reportedly took every day. That intel was thanks to Shuri's face tracking tech, some simple searching doing the rest for me.

I walked into the casual restaurant, going for the bathroom immediately. Before I had left the sanctum I shifted into a random person, and when in the bathroom I did that again, a woman who passed by the nursing home when I was entering the day before.

Stepping out I walked up to the front counter, ordering some food. When they had my order I sat down in a table close to the window, taking small sips of my water while I waited.

"Here you are," my waiter set my food in front of me.

"Thank you," I smiled politely, immediately digging in.

Knowing that I was pregnant, however recent, reminded me how important it was to eat good meals. Especially now that there was another person I would be caring for. I felt extremely thankful that I was given another batch of gunga last year at Varian's wedding. I had been using it sparingly, meaning I had enough to last throughout my pregnancy.

Taking my time eating despite my quick start, I stared out the window. My eyes only strayed from the street when my phone buzzed with a call from Steve. Picking it up I resumed my surveillance.

"Byph?"

_"How's everything going? Eyes on the target yet?"_

Steve, still in Wakanda- which was a secure location, could speak english, but because he now understood some Orveonian, we agreed it would be best to speak that in public situations where we would seem suspicious speaking about missions in a language everyone else could understand.

Upon hearing a displeased grumbling from behind me, I glanced over at a man sitting at the table behind me. Trying to ignore it, I answered Steve's question.

"Wy...Zign," my eyes caught sight of exactly who I was looking for, walking casually down the street, "Oru! Hixt hew fesh. Vust juh."

I ended the call abruptly. As I was picking up my purse the same man from before spoke. A few simple words that told me all I needed to understand why he was grumbling.

"Damn immigrants. Can't even bother to learn our language."

I turned around to face the man, scowling, "Can you speak more than one language fluently?" I took the man's silence as a no, "Can you understand other traditions? Cultures? Other norms? No? Then don't hate others for speaking their own language."

Letting at a small hum when he flushed in embarrassment and anger, I readjusted my purse on my shoulder and left. Luckily, the time it took to tell the man off didn't put me too far behind my target. I could rage about what he said later, I had other priorities at the moment.

Staying on the other side of the street and keeping eyes on them at the same time was difficult, but following them so closely would alert them and make them either attack or flee, which was the last thing I needed.

They walked into an apartment building, and it was then that I ran across the street. Counting the floors by the windows on the outside, I moved around to the side where the fire escape was located. It took some finagling to pull the rusted ladder down to my height, but when I did it was easy to climb up all of the floor.

Peeking inside windows was the most illegal thing I had ever done, but it was vital to the missions so I knew where I was.

"There," I stopped climbing when I looked inside a window on the floor I had counted up to. The items inside of the room that were within my range of vision told me easily that I was in the right spot, "Please don't try to kill me, now it's not just me I have to worry about now."

I slowly slid open the window, pausing every time it let out even the smallest of squeaks. It was slow and painful, full of anxiety over the thought of getting caught. When it was finally as far up as it would go I maneuvered my body through, nearly falling off and onto the floor.

Glancing around the room, I awkwardly sat down on the bed placed in the corner, shifting back into my natural form. I hadn't really thought  _everything_  through, just the basics. I was regretting that now that I was in the situation.

"Yeah I saw the leftovers in the fridge, I'll be sure to eat it for dinner. Love you too. Bye."

"Nice to see you again little  _ursbi_."

Peter Parker. My target, or rather, my mission. It was a risky plan from the start, one I fudged the details on around Steve. He thought I would be observing and dropping off the package from a distance. This was direct contact. But, even before my pregnancy, my Maternal Avengers instincts were kicking in around him. He was so young, new to the horrors of being a hero. I wanted to help.

"M-Miss (Y/n)," Peter dropped his phone, staring at me in shock, "What are you doing here? Should I be worried? If this is about the airport I'm sorry that I had to fight against you. I really only did it because Mr. Stark asked me to-"

"Peter-"

"And I didn't want to let him down because I've always looked up to him and that was my chance to prove myself. Please don't kill me," Peter sucked in a deep breath of air after his tangent.

"I'm not here to harm you Peter," I assured him, reaching into my purse, "And I hope you won't harm me in return, or report me."

"I should though, shouldn't I? I mean you're wanted all over the world..." Peter trailed off, fidgeting with his hands, "I don't want to report you. You're really nice, and I don't think you did anything wrong."

"You can report me if you like, I can't stop you, but I'll be highly obliged to stop calling you  _ursbi_  at that point," I held out two velvet pouches, "This is why I'm here. I want you to have these. Think of it as a starting out present, even if you've been Spider-Man for a while."

"What are they?" Peter hesitantly took the bags from me.

"The blue powder is a multiplying substance, made from a crushed refined crystal. I don't understand the science behind your webs, but if you sprinkle that over it your supply will multiply. Be careful though, a little goes a long way. The purple powder is a sleeping draught. Nightmares come with the job."

"Are you sure they aren't drugs?"

I laughed at that, "That is one thing I would never even consider doing. I just want to make sure that you're going to be okay. It may seem strange, qwip, I don't entirely understand why I'm doing this, but you have an amazing potential. All you need is some guidance, and no offense, but most of the time Tony isn't where you'll find it."

"You can say that again," Peter sighed, "Thank you Miss. Altovar."

"It's Rogers now, actually. We got married on my planet."

"Cool! Space wedding! Ned would freak out," Peter beamed, setting the two bags on his desk, "Was it awesome? I'm sure it was awesome. It was really fancy wasn't it? Because you're a princess?"

"Yes and no," I shrugged, "That's a story I can't get into right now. I have one more thing for you. It's a com, fits almost anywhere. It's highly adaptable so you can put it into your suit as well. If you're ever in a pinch, and Tony can't help you out- or maybe Tony is the one in the pinch, you can contact us."

"Wow," Peter held out his hands so I could drop the small dime sized device into them, "Thank you. This is a lot to process, I kind of feel like I'm dreaming, but I know I'm not, and I'm also rambling."

I smiled, standing up and placing a gentle hand on Peter's shoulder, "If you can take anything away from the fact that I'm considered a criminal, you should understand that being a hero is not a one-way path. It's full of twists and turns that you'll have to maneuver the way you see fit. But if you stay true, you'll do just fine, even if the whole world says differently."

Peter nodded mutely, but when I moved towards the window again he spoke up, "You can just take the elevator out. You can shift into someone else right? I don't want you to go through the trouble of climbing back down again when you can go the easy way."

"You really are a hero ursbi," I grabbed his hand suddenly, muttering under my breath. Swirling red lines travelled from my wrist to his.

"Woah! What is that?" Peter jerked his hand back, observing the fading lines.

"Call it a 'pinky promise'. You can not tell anyone what I told you today. That doesn't stop you from reporting me. However, I trust you. It's hard to find people like you these days, I hope my baby grows up to be like you. Goodbye Peter."

"Goodbye Mrs. Rogers. Wait! Did you say-"

I closed Peter's room door behind me, cutting him off. Weird. I didn't even mean to make him aware of my pregnancy, it just came out. I shrugged, walking towards the front door, it must have been an instinctual thing, wanting to tell everyone I could the amazing news. I thought I would never be able to get pregnant with Steve, despite the... assistance we had tried on occasion.

Shifting into yet another random passerby, I stepped out of Peter's apartment and into the dimly lit hallway outside. The elevator was just on the other side of the hall, in my sights and easily accessible.

Pulling out my phone I sent Steve a quick text to let him know I was heading home, holding back the urge to tell him the good news. It wasn't personal enough to do it over text. This was his, our child. The least he deserved was to be told in person.

"Oh, sorry about that," I turned to face the person who just stepped out of the elevator, "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's fine."

Instead of freezing in fear like I was so tempted to do, I stepped into the elevator. Tony sent me a polite smile, looking straight through me as if he had no idea who I was. He didn't actually, because I was shifted, but it was nerve wracking being so close to my former teammate. Of course today of all days he was seeing Peter for whatever reason.

A shrill, repetitive beep came from Tony's watch. He looked down at it, then back at me. My breath hitched. I remembered back to when Hydra had taken over SHIELD, when I was on that ship and when the guards had detectors. But it couldn't-

"What were you doing with Peter, (Y/n)?"

I slammed my hand against the button meant to close the elevator doors. Time seemed to slow down as the metal doors went at a snails pass to meet in the middle. They gave Tony enough time to put his hand in between them, opening them back up at a faster speed.

"I'm pregnant!" I yelled out, receiving a strange look in return, "You wouldn't hurt a pregnant woman, would you?"

Tony sighed, pressing the lobby button. I took a step away from him. This situation was another thing to add to my list of reasons why I hated elevators.

"I've been keeping track of where you and your team have been travelling," Tony informed me, staring straight ahead, "You've tried your best, but you can't beat me."

"Why haven't you thrown us back in the prison then? Let them experiment on me again? I'm sure you've had plenty of chances. Qwip, you could knock me out right now and use me as blackmail. So why don't you?"

Tony shrugged. "You remind me of me a bit. We had that bonding moment with the whole Ultron fiasco too. I never wanted things to end up the way they did, and I thought a lot about what Bucky did... I kind of hate his guts, but it's not necessarily his guts that I hate at the same time. Weird how that works isn't it?"

"Does that mean you're going to let me leave and pretend nothing ever happened?"

"Regretfully," Tony let out a loud sigh when the elevator doors opened, "Don't let yourself get caught again. What were you doing with the kid anyways?"

"Helping him out a bit. There has to be a  _responsible_  adult looking after him after all," I stepped out, glancing back at Tony one last time, "We may disagree on a lot, but the fundamentals are still there."

"Yeah, yeah, sappy stuff and whatnot," Tony waved his hand dismissively as the door begins to close, "Congrats by the way, knew you two wouldn't be able to handle yourselfs."

I flushed at his statement, swiftly turning away and fleeing the building. Once on the streets I lifted the Talisman to my lips.

"Quinjet."

My body shifted, and I was on the quinjet meant to take me back to Wakanda. I set the course and took off.

Sitting down in the pilot's seat, I sighed tiredly. I was pregnant. Even though I had said it outloud at least twice, it was just now really setting in. I was going to have a child with Steve. Looking down at my stomach, I couldn't help but smile.

"I can't wait to meet you, and I swear that no matter what, your dad and I will always be  _your_  heroes."

 


	28. Thanos

"Everything seems to be in order by both planet's standards. A healthy weight and size, and a regular heartbeat. They should be coming within the next two weeks."

"I want them out. I've been dealing with this for a year and I can't handle it anymore," I grit out, hand pressed against my sore back. I felt the baby move in agreement. Pregnancies were never this difficult on my planet. I blamed Steve.

"I'm glad to hear the baby didn't pick up any of the problems I had before the-" Steve was cut off by his phone ringing. Pulling it out, the happy expression he wore faded, "It's Tony."

"What?" I sat up too quickly for the baby's liking, "Chielo could you give us a moment?"

"Of course, I'll move on to my next appointment."

Steve pressed the phone against his ear. "Bruce? Hang on, what attacked you? Wizards? Okay... Okay. Get to the Avengers compound- Oh that's right you don't know where that is. I'll text the address to the phone. We'll get there asap."

Steve put his phone back in his pocket. Expression grim, he turned back to me, explaining what just happened in New York. Another alien invasion, much faster and focused this time.

"We have to go to Vision and Wanda," I slowly stepped off of the examination table, "He has the Mind Stone, he's in danger. I trust Strange and Stark to handle themselves."

"Right. Call Shuri and have her track them, I'll get the others."

"And I'll get the quinjet."

"What?" Steve stopped, "No, you can't come with us. This is going to be dangerous."

"Yeah, and?" I crossed my arms, raising an annoyed brow, "It being dangerous has never stopped me from doing anything before."

"This is different. You're so close to going into labour, and I don't want anything to happen to the baby if there's a fight."

"I'll stay in the quinjet and keep it in the air until you tell me it's safe then land," I raised my hand, stopping Steve from arguing further, "Even heavily pregnant I can still take you down Steve. Now get going before I rip off your leg and beat you with it. I love you."

I waddled out of the room without another word. Who was Steve to argue with his pregnant wife who just threatened to rip his leg off?

Passing by Nat in the hallway I ordered her to suit up. She didn't ask questions and ran off to follow my orders. When I made it to the extensive landing and launch pad outside I stepped onto the quinjet, our team had been using for the past couple of months since the one we stole had been damaged on a mission.

Settling down in the pilot's seat I waited until Shuri sent me a set of coordinates to put them into the computer. Slowly but surely the rest of the team trickled on, with Steve stepping in last since he was the one who was making sure people were on time.

"Alright, taking off and setting fastest course," I announced, flipping the necessary switches, "Autopilot is set. We'll be there in three hours."

Everyone murmured in understanding. I spun my chair around to talk to them, but immediately had to swing it back when the com-beads on my wrist beeped with an incoming transmission. Peter's face appeared on the screen, donned in his Spider-Man mask.

"Peter, what's going on, are you dealing with the New York aftermath?"

_"No, I was on a field trip when the spaceship showed up and we were fighting with a wizard and now I'm on a spaceship and I don't know what to do! You told me to call you if something like this happened."_

"I wasn't that specific but alright. Tony's on the spaceship isn't he? I can't believe I'm saying this but you need to find him and stay by him. Him and Strange are the people you can trust right now, alright?"

_"Okay, right. Thank you, Mrs. Rogers."_

"Oh wait, one more thing Peter. What does the ship look like? From the outside?"

_"Um, it kind of looked like a donut. It was a big circle with nothing in the middle."_

"Nersh. Alright, thank you Peter. Be more careful than you've ever been up there okay, you have no idea how dangerous it's going to be. Stay by Tony and Strange."

_"I understand. Thanks again Mrs. Rogers. I'll call you again later."_

I sighed loudly, running a hand over my face. Circle, 'like a donut' Peter said. There was only one person brave enough to attack Earth, and his ships looked just like that. Thanos, the Mad Titan.

He had been the one looking for the Infinity Stones, the one behind Loki. All of that, the past six years of my life had been leading up to this big fight. He was planning something, something none of us would have been able to predict. Whatever it was, it was bigger than anything any of us had ever faced. Thanos was the king, and we were chess pieces trying desperately to take him down.

"Everyone, this is going to be the fight of ours lives. Whether it happens now or a day from now, it's  _going_ to happen," I turned my chair again to face the others. Their faces went from confusion to grimness.

"What's going on (Y/n)? What have you figured out?" Steve ran a soothing hand over my back.

"Everything we've been through the past six years, the Infinity Stones coming into the light, I know who's behind it. A man named Thanos. The last of his kind. He's a genius and could beat any one of us without the new power."

A somber silence fell over the jet. I sighed, turning around again so I wouldn't have to see how hopeless everyone seemed. The Avengers had faced unimaginable things in the past, and with our new alliances with Wakanda, we had a chance. We could do it. Even heavily pregnant and stuck in a realist mindset, I had hope for us all.

The ride to Wanda and Vision's location was tense and quiet. Only the occasional murmur from the team about tactics. Finally, I had enough and turned on the screens to the news. When nearly every channel was showing what happened in New York, I turned them off, favoring the silence.

Full of anxiety, I kept my breathing deep and slow in an attempt to calm down. Stress wasn't good for the baby. Every time I got too worked up over possible scenarios the little demon squirmed as if saying "Hey, stop it." It made me smile.

"Woah, this isn't what I thought we would find," I took manual control of the quinjet when we arrived. Fires were everywhere, destruction evident. I squinted, following the train, "Looks like they're in the train station. I'll be just outside, go kick some ass and protect the stone."

"We'll be back soon," Steve kissed my cheek, jumping out of the open quinjet back.

All was silent around me for a few short minutes, the computers steady beeping and my breathing being the only things to break the silence. When the quinjet suddenly jerked to the side I swore loudly, tightening my grip on the controls. The proximity alarms were going crazy.

"Pull up upper cameras," I ordered the computer.

Above us was the same kind of ship Peter reported, large and round, empty in the middle. I pulled back on the controls, flying away from the ship's path. The quinjet stabilized, and I let out a sigh of relief.

A blue light shot down from the ship. The cameras zoomed in on it automatically. Two figures were being pulled in, aliens, not human. Aiming the guns, I shot out as many shots as I could in the short amount of time they were rising. However, the only damage given was to nearby buildings as the light carrying the aliens deflected the shots. I swore quietly, landing in front of the subway and opening up the back.

"Aliens are crazy," Nat mumbled, getting on first, "No offense (Y/n)."

"None taken, they work for Thanos so it's likely they take after his ideals."

"Vision needs some medical attention," Steve reported, carrying said person onto the jet, "Those guys did some real damage to him. I didn't think that was possible."

"Our weapons are a lot more advanced that Earth's," I closed the back, retracting the landing gear.

"I thought we had a deal. Stay close, check in. Don't take any chances," Nat was obviously addressing Wanda and Vision.

"I'm sorry. We just wanted time."

Understanding that, I nodded silently from my seat, not that they could see it. I wanted time with Steve too. Being pregnant gave me that. Wanda and Vision didn't hold that same chance. They were trying to hide in plain sight while we had Wakanda.

"Where to Cap?" Sam questioned, setting down his heaviest gear.

"Home."

"Don't really have one of those anymore," I chuckled, picking up what Steve meant. The Avengers Compound. It made sense. Our old gear was most likely still there, and we told Bruce to report there as well. We would regroup there and make a plan. Tony and Strange were gone, leaving us to watch over Earth, whether or not the governments wanted us to, "We'll be there in thirty minutes on top speed."

The same tense silence from earlier overfell us, the only difference being that we had two additional Avengers with us. I kept on glancing back in the mirror, making sure that Wanda was handling everything well. We were stuck on the misunderstood spectrum together after all, we had to look out for each other.

"How are you doing (Y/n)?" Wanda asked quietly, leaning against the back of the pilot's chair.

"Very pregnant, due soon," I huffed out, "I should be taking it easy, waiting for my water to break. Dealing with  _this_  is the last thing I needed."

"I'm sorry. Vision should have left earlier, but he wanted to stay with me. We should have been on guard. Nothing can ever be normal with us." Wanda wrapped an arm around my upper body in an awkward hug, "I never got you anything for the baby. I could have knit something."

"That's sweet Wanda, but you don't have to feel obligated. You won't have the chance now. Thanos is a threat that can't be ignored. If he's moving now, then he's confident."

"So are we. We can do this. With you in the backseat it might be a bit harder, but that's okay. You're there for guidance," Wanda encouraged, though the quiver in her voice told me she was doubtful too.

~*~

Landing the quinjet in an open spot at the Avengers Compound, we gathered our things and walked inside. Our security clearances still worked. The baby kicked, and with a wince I nodded. Tony kept them there in hopes we would return one day.

"You have second thoughts?"

"Not anymore."

I didn't hold back my scowl at the office of Secretary Ross. Him and Rhodey seemed to be arguing about something. With Ross on hologram call, it made things a lot less complicated for us.

"Mr. Secretary," Steve greeted with a nod of his head.

"You got some nerve, I'll give you that."

"You could use some of that right now," Nat sassed. I held out my hand so she could give it a hidden high-five.

"The world's on fire. And you think, all is forgiven?"

"We aren't asking for forgiveness," I didn't miss the way Ross' face morphed to shock at the sight of my pregnant stomach, "And we aren't here to ask for permission."

"We won't go easy on you because of your current... state."

"I don't expect you to. But you're too desperate to do much, aren't you? Go ahead and try, we'll fight if we must."

"Arrest them," Ross turned to Rhodey.

"All over it," Rhodey swiped off the hologram, turning to us, "That's a court-martial. It's great to see you guys. Congrats, Tony told me after New York."

"What happened in New York?" Steve sent me a questioning look. I smiled in return, "It's good you too Rhodey."

"Well, you guys look like crap. Must've been a rough couple of years."

"Yeah, well, the hotels weren't exactly five star."

"Uh, I think you look great," Bruce walked in from the opposite side of the room, "Yeah, I'm back."

"Hi Bruce."

"Nat."

"This is awkward," Sam whispered, causing me to chuckle.

"(Y/n), you might be hearing this a lot but congrats. Did you two get married too?"

"On my planet yes," I nodded in confirmation, "Moving on, they're going to come back, with bigger guns this time."

"We need all hands on deck. Where's Clint?"

"After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a deal. It was too tough on their families, they're on house arrest."

"Who's Scott?"

"Ant-Man."

"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce shook his head to get back on track, "Okay, look, Thanos has the biggest army in the universe. And he is not gonna stop until he gets Vision's Stone."

"Well then, we have to protect it."

"No, we have to destroy it," Vision spoke up for the first time, wincing as he struggled to stand on his own, "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also, its composition. I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something, very similar to its own signature, perhaps its molecular integrity could fail."

"And you with it. We're not having this conversation."

"Eliminating the stone is the only way to be certain that Thanos can't get it. (Y/n), you have a higher knowledge of all of this, would that work?"

I hummed in thought, running a hand over my face, "It would make sense by magical bounds. Magic from the same magic can cancel it out."

"That's too high a price," Wanda shook her head fervently.

Vision took Wanda's face in his hands, "Only you have the power to pay it. Thanos threatens half the Universe. One life cannot stand in the way of defeating him."

"But it should. We don't trade lives, Vision."

"Steve-" I started.

"(Y/n), I understand what lies at stake, but Vision is a conscious being as well, he deserves to live."

"Captain, 70 years ago, you laid down your life to save how many millions of people. Tell me, why is this any different?"

"Because you might have a choice," Bruce rushed forward excitedly, "Your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. JARVIS, Ultron, Tony, me, the Stone. All of them mixed together. All of them learning from one another."

"That's correct. The stone is not the only thing that makes you up. Magic is complex, but physical, tangible things and science can't be ignored," I nodded, thinking over all the different possibilities, "We can try it, but all of you need to understand that Vision may be a living being, but one life over billions is an easy equation."

"Right. It is possible, but not me, not here."

"You better find someone, and somewhere fast. Ross isn't exactly just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back."

"I know somewhere," Steve smirked, regaining his confidence in our situation, "Back to the quinjet and we can get there in what, an hour?"

"At most if I push our speed, we'll have to refuel as soon as we get there though," I nodded, looking around us, "It was nice being back here, even if it was just for a few minutes. Nostalgic."

Everyone nodded at my statement, taking the few short, spare seconds we had to take in what had shortly been our home a few years ago. How times had changed, our home was unspecific now, stuck in between Orveon, Wakanda, and anywhere we had been for longer-term missions.

Back on the ship, Vision was resting on one of the seats with Wanda, Bruce was looking over the new tech inside, Rhodey and Sam were cleaning their suits, Nat was hovering around Bruce, and Steve was up front next to me.

"Have you ever fought against this Thanos guy before?" Steve asked me nervously.

"No, but I fought a few of his warriors once. It's how I got the scar on my back."

Steve winced at the mention of the large scar on my back. It stretched from my-mid back to my hip. It was a light shade of violet, three inches wide and angry looking, reflecting how painful it was to receive. The first time Steve saw it I nearly cried when he looked at me. Gentle, curious, and loving. There was no disgust or hint of unattraction. He kissed a line along it and whispered it was proof of how strong I was.

"How many warriors is a few?" Steve finally grit out, staring straight out the window.

"Four. The Black Order. You fought two of them while you were rescuing Vision and Wanda. They were raised under Thanos, masters of deception and of war. They worry even planets like my own."

"You aren't fighting against them by yourself anymore-"

"Actually, I was with Thor, Loki, the Warriors Three and Sif."

Steve paused, chuckling quietly, "I was trying to be reassuring. My point is that we're different from Asgard's warriors. And you aren't going to be on the battlefield this time. You'll be with Shuri while she works on Vision."

I didn't try to argue. I was aware of how dangerous the inevitable battle would be. I had to think about more than just myself at this point. Reaching out for my hand, Steve gave it a squeeze. I smiled at him, slouching down in my chair as much as my body would allow me. Leaning my head back I closed my eyes and allowed myself to sleep.

 


	29. Elora

Waking up when the computer beeped, I turned off the autopilot and took control. The shields protecting Wakanda were fast approaching, however they would recognize the ship and drop when we flew towards it.

Dropping the ships altitude I increased our speed and turned on the sensor that let the shield know we had permission to enter. Sam and Steve stepped up behind me, Sam gripping my seat nervously. For some reason he always hated entering Wakanda. Perhaps it was the anxiety that came with setting up the correct precautions to make sure we didn't crash the entire ship in an explosion of metal and flesh. Morbid.

"Passing through," I announced.

We successfully passed through the field. I had seen Wakanda's Golden City many times, and yet it always took my breath away. It was a kingdom so different from my home with its crystal structures and stone building, and yet they felt the same in the end.

"What is this place?" Bruce's eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Wakanda, it's where Ultron got his vibranium and where Steve's shield came from."

"Wakanada?"

I winced, shaking my head with a chuckle. All of us had missed Bruce while he was away- apparently he was with Thor and Asgard had been destroyed, what do you know?

Zooming through the sky above the city I landed in the airfield just outside the palace. T'Challa and the Dora Milaje were walking out to greet all of us. Steve and I stepped off first, with Nat just behind us, Bruce and Rhodey behind her, and Vision and Wanda taking up the rear.

"Should we bow?" I heard Bruce ask Rhodey quietly.

"Yeah, he's a king.

Sharing a look with Steve we rolled our eyes in unison. Bruce just got back and Rhodey was already messing with him like old times.

"Seems like I'm always thanking you for something," Steve said as a greeting. Behind us, Bruce bowed awkwardly.

"What are you doing?" Rhodey faked shock, nudging Bruce's arm.

"We don't do that here," T'Challa motioned for Bruce to stand. I giggled at the glare sent towards Rhodey, "So, how big of an assault can we expect?"

Our group began to walk back into the administrative building.

"Uh, sir, I think you can expect quite a big assault," Bruce sped up his pace to keep up with the front.

"How we looking?" Nat spoke up after Bruce.

"You will have my King's Guard, the Border Tribe, the Dora Milaje, and-"

"A semi-stable, 100-year-old man," Bucky stepped past Wanda and Vision as they were led to Shuri.

Steve pulled Bucky into a hug as if he hadn't seen him last week, "How you been, Buck?"

"Not bad, for the end of the world. How you doing (Y/n)? Steve treating you right?"

"For the most part," I smirked mischievously, "I can't say the same about the baby, they've been a little demon lately."

"We'll stay out here and keep watch," Sam motioned to himself, Rhodey, and Bucky. Steve and I nodded in acknowledgement before we continued walking.

"Your little guy is just getting antsy," Nat smiled brightly, "His due date is soon after all."

"You think it's a boy?" Steve questioned.

"Well, Clint's baby was a traitor, but this one is another chance at a Natasha," Nat sent me a hopeful look, raising a brow.

"It's on the list, we'll have to see. Him wanting to get out makes two of us," I ran my hand over my stomach, "I can't wait to be able to fight again, or at least walk normally."

"Rest assured you will be in the best hands Wakanda has to offer," T'Challa stepped out first, greeting his sister with a small wave as she scanned Vision.

"The structure is polymorphic," Shuri reported, looking over the results.

"Right, we had to attach each neuron non-sequentially."

"Why didn't you just reprogram the synapses to work collectively?" Shuri and Vision sent Bruce the same look.

"Because, we didn't think of it."

Shuri smirked, "I'm sure you did your best."

"Can you do it?" Wanda asked the question all of us were thinking.

"Yes, but there are more than two  _trillion_  neurons here. One misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures. It will take time, brother."

"Oh," I winced when a headache formed behind my eyes. It was a strain on my magic, a sign that the dark arts were near, "They're approaching."

"How long do you need?" Steve ran a hand over my back soothingly.

"As long as you can give me."

Okoye's kimoyo beads chimed an alarm as I winced again, "Something's entered the atmosphere."

 _"Hey, Cap, we got a situation here."_ Sam's voice rang through the com.

All of us jumped when the ground shook. Rushing to the window, I gasped in shock. The shield over the city had destroyed a large ship, but several more were dropping down outside the city limits.

"I didn't think this is what we'd be facing when you explained it," Steve whispered, sharing a concerned look with me and T'Challa.

Vision grunted in pain, "It's too late. We need to destroy the stone now."

"Vision, get your ass back on the table," Nat snapped.

"We will hold them off." T'Challa, Okoye, and a few of the guards headed for the elevator.

"Wanda, as soon as the stone's out of his head you blow it to hell."

"I will."

"Evacuate the city. Engage all defense procedures. And get this man a shield."

Shuri jumped up and down excitedly. She rushed to a different section of the room, coming back with two small shields that Steve could hook onto his arms. Holding them out, she was practically shaking as he put them on.

"They're prototypes I've been working on. The ends push in to create a sharper edge, and the outsides can extend and join together for a single large shield or two small ones."

"Thank you Shuri," Steve shook out his arm, and the shield extended. He pushed it back in again and turned to me, "You have to stay here."

"I know."

"I know you don't want to but- Wait, you're agreeing with me?"

"Steve, I got that scar from the Black Order when I was in my prime, with the best warriors Asgard had to offer. I'm tired, pregnant, and can barely walk, much less run. I understand," I tugged on his uniform to bring him down to my level, "Stay alive, please, our baby needs a father."

"I don't plan on dying anytime soon," Steve kissed me gently, too gently for a kiss goodbye. He did it on purpose, "I love you."

"To Orveon and back."

Once Steve was gone I sighed, looking at the window to observe Wakanda gathering forces, "Atreya that was painful."

"It hurt to watch it too," Shuri began her work on Vision, "To Orveon and back would make a good meme though. Perhaps I will create it when all of this is over."

"Children, you are an actual child," I muttered to myself. Shuri was such a genius that sometimes I forgot how young she really was. She was as old as Peter.

"Steve will be fine (Y/n), it's not just the world he's fighting for. He's fighting for you and the baby," Wanda hugged me from the side, providing the comfort I so desperately needed.

"Thanks Wanda, I really needed that."

Five minutes into the process and I had one of the guards bring me a chair so I could sit down and rest my legs. Ten minutes in and Vision spoke up despite the pain he must have been in.

"Princess (Y/n) I must ask you a question you have already answered in a different way," Vision winced from the operation table, "Would Wanda be able to destroy the stone and keep me alive? From a magical standpoint?"

"Vis, we talked about this," Wanda stated nervously.

"No," I gave the same answer I did at the compound, "The stone has bonded to you. To destroy it while still connected is to destroy you as well. Sorry..."

"Ten percent done," Shuri reported.

I turned my head to look out the window again. Carnage and death on both sides. If I squinted, I could see Steve's shield shining in the sun, letting me know that he was alive and still fighting.

"Oh nersh," I shivered when goosebumps washed over my skin. Breathing out deeply I closed my eyes, "Nersh."

"You alright (Y/n)?" Wanda questioned, rushing over to me.

"No. That was a sudden chill. It's like our contract- Nersh! I take back everything I said about wanting the baby out. It needs to wait," I cried out, knowing it wouldn't answer.

"Right now? It's coming right now?"

"Call Doctor Chielo. Tell her I'm on my way to the clinic," I gripped onto the back of the chair as the cold began to sting.

"Do you need me to-"

"No. Stay here, destroy the stone. Don't stray from the mission," I waddled out of the large room and into the elevator. Ordering it to take me to the clinic I leaned against the wall, shivering again. Pressing the com in my ear I set it to Steve's only, "Steve, the baby is coming  _now._ "

 _"Shit,"_  Steve swore loudly. From the fight or my news I didn't know,  _"I can't leave right now, they need me. Thor just got here with some- I am Steve Rogers- with a raccoon and a talking tree who saying I am Groot."_

"Steve that's besides the point. I'm supposed to be the spacey one," I snapped, stepping out of the elevator when the doors opened, "I am going into labor Steve! What the qwip am I supposed to do?"

_"Just stay calm, let Doctor Chielo lead you. I know Orveonian births are different but she's been researching those books you brought back. I'll try to finish this fight as soon as I can and get back in there."_

"Easier said than done," I waved down one of the nurses, "I'm in labor, I need- Chon wurn- I need Doctor Chielo."

"Page Doctor Chielo, get the room ready," the nurse ordered two of her coworkers, grabbing a wheelchair lined up along the wall, "All the fighting has brought in many injured. I apologize if we seem disorganized."

"No one is happy about this situation, trust me," I placed my hands on my stomach, closing my eyes until we reached the room I would be giving birth in.

I was alone in the room after the nurse made sure I was comfortable for the time being. The cold-flashes that overcame me turned into needle pinpricks concentrated around my lower body.

I wanted Steve there with me, so he could hold my hand and tell me I was doing amazing. That was the way it was supposed to be. We were in this together. Instead, I was alone. Worrying for Steve's life and the fate of the universe. It was the last thing I needed while in labor.

"Alright, let's do this thing," Chielo rushed into the room, pulling on a pair of gloves, "I've researched tirelessly but let's go through this one more time."

"We have half an hour  _at most_. Orveonian births are incredibly fast by Earth's standards because our organs actually shift in a way that allows the child an easier path through the- Wurn. Understand?"

"As well as I can, yes," sitting on a stool in front of me she slid over to the monitors I was hooked up to, "Alright, everything looks fine right now. You said thirty minutes at most?"

"I wish it was more," I held back the urge to cry, "Steve won't be back in time."

"Have faith," Chielo chidded, digging through her supplies, "Would you like an epidural? It's similar to Earth's anesthetics so there should be no side effects to it. Instead of adding a larger dose I could even do a normal one just to be sure."

"No, I'll be okay. Our births still suck but they're better than Earth's," I lifted my hand to the com in my ear, "Steve?"

_"Vision's out of the castle and even more injured than before. Good news is that we have the three Black Order operatives out of order for good. Wanda is handling those weird blender things. We have the upper hand."_

I cried out as the pain deepened in my gut. This was different. This was an ache beyond any other. Glancing down at the Talisman on my hand, I cried out again when I saw how bright it was glowing. It was hot against my finger. If it wasn't meant for protection, I would have been sure it would have branded me.

"Steve something's happening, it isn't over. It hasn't even started yet."

"Does your water break?" Chielo asked me suddenly.

"No, instead of putting pressure on our amniotic sac they press against our feptis through the womb. It makes us shift like crazy for a few seconds. Kickstarts it."

As if on cue my body jerked with the force of three shifts in order. Steve to Loki to Shuri. I shivered repeatedly, pressing the com again.

"Steve what's going on?"

Static.

"Steve come on! Steve please answer me, I need to know what's going on!"

"You're ready to push (Y/n)."

"I can't," I sobbed, throwing my head against the pillow, "I need to know if Steve is okay. I can't do this without him."

Chielo pressed one of her pager buttons, "(Y/n), look at me okay? You can do this. Steve is going to be just fine because he's Captain America."

Two nurses rushed into the room with the equipment needed for the baby when it was out. When they were set up, one of them grabbed my hand with a reassuring squeeze. I closed my eyes and imagined they were Steve.

"Ready? Three, two, one, go."

While I was conscious in the next few moments, I wasn't at the same time. It was a strange kind of self-awareness. Pushing, I took longer breaks in between than I needed to. Steve wasn't answering, and deep in my heart I knew why. He wasn't dead, but that clenching in my gut was because the threat to our universe was here, and Thanos was going to win.

It proved my theory correct when both of the nurses in the room fell to the floor. Piles of dust in their place. Sobbing again, I quieted when a cry rang through the room. Orveonian babies were meant to be born calm, so the fact that our child was so loud brought me out of my shock. Chielo stepped back with a small baby, angled so I couldn't see the gender. She rushed over to the equipment after cutting the cord.

"Wait, I want to see my baby," I held out my arms weakly, moving one to my com, "Steve?"

It wasn't static anymore, but there was still silence. I held back another sob.

"Healthy in every way, purple, blue eyes. Four pounds so a bit small but besides that she's as beautiful as her mother and father."

"She?" My baby was put into my arms. She wasn't necessarily beautiful in the common sense. Pale purple, wrinkly with little scales around her forehead and wrists. Her eyes were a shade of blue reminding me of the second moon back home, "Steve it's a girl. We have a little girl."

_"Name?"_

His voice was as thick as mine. He had been crying too. Hearing it filled me with a new level of sadness.

"Elora. Just like we discussed."

Elora stopped crying to stare up at me. I smiled, sniffling, and she began again. I didn't bother asking what happened because I knew all too well. My tears were sadness and joy mixed together to form paths on my cheeks.

Maybe it was the human in Elora that was making her cry, but to me it was as if she were mourning too.


	30. The Head

"A swen. A swen... A karü. Elora ke Steve... yisel. A vust juh."

Ending the call with my parents I let out a tired groan, rubbing my eyes. Elora cooed from next to me, letting out a baby yawn. I smiled slightly, reaching out to let her play with my fingers. She was more active and curious than I assumed she would be, her human and Orveonian side blending together to create her excitable personality.

In the last 23 days, she was the only thing that brought me and Steve joy. There was nothing else to be happy about. We lost. The gravity of that was crushing, but true.

"What did they say?" Steve rubbed his freshly shaved chin. I reached out and ran my hand over the smooth skin. Steve grabbed my wrist gently, pulling my attention back to him, "Hey. What did they say?"

Shaking my head, I let out a quiet sob, falling into Steve's outstretched arms. Shoving my head into his shoulder, I muffled my cries in his shirt. If Elora figured out that I was upset, then she would cry too.

"Varian and Greer are gone, so are half of my people. The kings are gone and my parents feel as though they need one of their children to lead, not them."

"That means-"

"My parents want me to go home so I can rule in my brother's place. They want you and Elora to come along to show strength but..."

Steve pulled me closer, "I know. We'll figure this out. All of this."

Honesty was always the best policy, but deep down I knew Steve wasn't telling the truth. He wasn't sure what the future held, and without that reassurance, we couldn't figure things out.

_Da da da da da._

Elora whined as the room shook. Steve and I shared confused looks, glancing out the window. Something was entering the atmosphere. Taking Elora out of her crib, I held her close as we rushed out of the room.

"You guys feel that too?" Nat questioned, meeting us in the hall.

"Yeah, something's coming. It's not Thanos. Go get the others," Steve ordered, pushing forward.

Following Steve, we stepped out of the facility and into the yard in the back. Nat, Bruce, and Rhodey were just behind us, staring at the ship landing- scratch that, being carried- in front of us.

The hatch opened, and Tony walked out with a blue woman supporting him. The closer she got, the more clear her identity became.

"You," I handed Elora off to Steve, summoning my discs, "You aren't welcome here."

"It's okay Princess, she's on our side," Tony muttered weakly, waving me off. Hesitantly, I dropped my hands, not hiding my dislike of Nebula, "I couldn't stop him."

"Neither could we," Steve traded off Elora again so he could help Tony.

Tony lowered his head in shame, "I lost the kid."

My breath hitched. Peter. He was so young, too young. I had been so worried about him and excited for him to meet Elora. Looking down at the baby, her eyes were trained on Tony. Tony finally looked over and noticed Elora.

"Oh, you  _had_  the kid."

"Elora," I introduced her, "But you can meet her properly later. We have other things to worry about."

"Is um..." Tony hesitated.

"Oh my god!" Pepper sprinted to Tony, tackling him into a hug.

"It's okay," Tony whispered, squeezing her head just as tightly.

For the first time in twenty-three days, I thought it could be.

~*~

"It's been 23 days since Thanos came to Earth. World governments are in pieces. The parts that are still working are trying to take a census. And it looks like he did exactly what he said he was going to do. Thanos wiped out fifty percent, of all living creatures," Nat gave the depressing report to Tony after he changed and was hooked up to an IV.

"Where is he now? Where?"

"We don't know," Steve stated truthfully.  
"He just opened a portal and walked through."

Tony looked to Thor, who had barely spoken since the snap. Immediately after the snap, he said congratulations when he met Elora, and he cried; stating that Loki would have loved her. Thor the God of Thunder broke down when his honorary niece was put into his arms.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which of course he did, but there's a lot of that's goin' around, ain't there?"

"All of us failed," I added, "I went into labor. I couldn't even fight."

"Honestly, at this exact second, I thought you were a Build-A-Bear."

"Maybe I am," Rocket shrugged casually.  
"We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep Space scans and satellites and we got nothing."

"Tony, you fought him."

"Who told you that? I didn't fight him," Tony snapped venomously, "No, he wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street Magician gave away the stone. That's what happened. There was no fight."

"Any clues? Coordinates, a mention of a planet, anything?" I questioned, shifting Elora to my other arm.

Tony scoffed at the question, "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision. I didn't wanna believe it. Thought I was dreaming."

"Tony, I'm gonna need you to focus," Steve attempted to soothe him in vain.

"And I needed you. As in past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late, buddy. Sorry. You know what I need," Tony stood, pushing his food off the table, "I need to shave. And I believe I remember telling you two-"

"Tony, Tony, Tony, stop!" Rhodey rushed in front of his friend.

"What we needed was a suit of armor around the world! Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedom or not- that's what we needed!"

Elora whined at the noise. I winced, rocking her, "You tried that Tony, and we got Ultron instead."

Tony ignored me, "I said, 'We'll lose'. You said, 'We'll do that together too.' And guess what, Cap? We lost. You weren't there. But that's what we do, right? Our best work after the fact? We're the Avengers, we're the A-vengers. Not the Prevengers, right?"

"Okay, you made your point. Just sit down, ok?" Rhodey pushed against Tony's shoulders.

"Nah. Here's my point-"

"Sit down!"

"She's great by the way," Tony pointed at Carol, "We need you. You're new blood. Bunch of tired old mills! One of us on maternity leave with an adorable baby. I got nothing for you! I got no coordinates, no clues, no plan, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar."

Steve flinched at the malicious intent of Tony's words. Tony ripped his arc reactor from his chest and shoved it into Steve's hand.

"Here, take this. You find him, and you put that on. You hide."

Tony fell to the ground unconscious. Elora chose that perfect time to begin sobbing. Nearly everyone rushed to Tony's side, attempting to pick him up and move him to one of the beds in the medbay. Steve approached me, gently running his hand over Elora's head while I shushed her.

Just like the old days.

~*~

"Bruce gave him a sedative. He's gonna be out for the rest of the day."

"You guys take care of him. And I'll bring Bezurian Elixir when I come back."

I winced at the thought. They were like whiskey, minus the alcohol content. And I hated whiskey. They burned your throat while going down and filled your body with warmth while giving you an extra kick.

While Tony was being dealt with, Steve and I put Elora down for her nap. She would be out of the equation for at least an hour or two.

"Where are you going?"

"To kill Thanos," Carol shrugged.

"You know, we usually work as a team around here, and between you and I, we're also a little fragile. We realize this is more your territory, but this is our fight too," Nat rushed to catch up to her.

"Do you even know where he is?"

"I know people who might."

"Don't bother. I can tell you where Thanos is," Nebula leaned against the wall, jerking her head to the side to motion for us to go to the meeting room, "Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me. Then when he worked, he talked about his great plan. Even disassembled, I wanted to please him. I'd ask 'Where would we go once his plan was complete?' His answer was always the same: To the Garden."

"The Garden? That monster is on one of the most beautiful planets in the universe?" I scoffed, pulling up the coordinates on one of our holo screens, "It's an unspoken rule that societies don't settle down there. Because of that all the wildlife and nature has been left alone to flourish."

"When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth became ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions. No one's ever seen anything like it, but there was a similar blast of energy two days ago from that planet," Rocket added, pointing at the hologram.

Nat stated the obvious, "He used the stones again."

Bruce, being the voice of reason we needed, spoke up, "Hey, hey, we'd be going in short-handed, you know."

"Look, he's still got the stones, so..."

"So let's get him. We'll use them to bring everyone back."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that," Steve gave Carol a nod of respect.

"Even if there's a small chance that we can undo this... I mean we owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try."

"If we do this, how do we know it's gonna end any differently than it did before?"

Carol shrugged, "Because before you didn't have me."

"Hey, new girl, everyone here is about that superhero life. And if you don't mind my asking, where the hell have you been all this time?" Rhodey crossed his arms.

"There are a lot of other planets in the universe. And unfortunately, they didn't have you guys."

"She's got us there. The Avengers handled Earth, Asgard handled the other realms. That left space unguarded."

At my statement, Thor stood and lumbered over to Carol. Lifting his hand, Stormbreaker flew into it, missing Carol by inches and rustling her hair. Carol didn't flinch and instead lifted a curious brow.

"I like this one."

"Let's go get this son of a bitch."

On instinct, the team dispersed to put on their uniforms. I rushed to Elora's makeshift room, peeking inside to make sure she was still peacefully sleeping. Upon confirmation that she was, I went to find Pepper, still by Tony's side.

"Hey Pepper, we have a chance to undo all of this," I pulled her aside, speaking in a hushed tone in case Tony woke up, "But we need to leave for a few hours. I have milk for Elora in the fridge. She's a really easy baby, and she's down for her nap. Can you watch her while we're out?"

"Of course! Is there anything I should know before I do?"

"Her milk is in the fridge, besides that, I don't have anything. If she does get hungry, she'll go down for a nap after."

"Got it. Good luck. Get them back."

Giving one last glance to Tony, I hurried off. Stopping in the locker room, I met Nat as she zipped up her uniform. Shifting into the base of mine, I hooked on my small pieces of armor.

"Are you going?" Nat looked up from her holster, raising a brow, "What about Elora?"

Clicking my last wrist brace into place, my heart clenched at the name. She was still so little, and if something happened to us on the mission and we missed her growing up- Nothing would. Even with half the team, we were still strong together. Whatever happened, we'd make it out. I wouldn't sit around and be useless.

"Pepper will watch over her," I shrugged, hiding my nerves beneath a reassuring smile. But Nat saw right through it. Not only was she trained to see beneath masks, but she was my closest friend.

Sighing, Nat finished her uniform prep and spun on her heel to face me, "That's not what I meant and you know it isn't. If something happens to you, Elora's going to grow up without her parents. Who will watch over her? Someone on Earth, or something on Orveon? She's a bridge, and you and Steve are the land on either side. She needs that."

"We're going to come back alive."

"And after this mission? Are there going to be more? Another, and another, and another. When are you going to retire and focus on your family? Clint tried so hard to make things work with his, you know that, and even then he had to retire after Ultron because it was too much-"

"I don't know Nat, okay?" I finally yelled, throwing my hands up in frustration, "I don't know what I'm doing, or how things are going to be after this. Books don't compare to actually being a mom. I gave birth three weeks ago. We may heal faster because of our advanced systems, but that doesn't mean I'm not in pain all the time! But that doesn't matter, because all I know is that this mission is a chance to get everyone back."

"Is it worth losing what you have left?"

Without an answer to give, I did one last mental check of my gear and left. Nat was just behind me, but she didn't make conversation on the way to Rocket's ship. I was thankful for that. If she continued pushing, I would have broken down even more. All of my focus had to go into the mission at hand.

Even while trying to bring my focus back, my mind was stuck on what Nat was saying. Steve and I weren't just thinking for ourselves, the Avengers, and the world anymore. We had a daughter. I grew up distant from my parents and left home the first chance I got. The hole that left was terrible. I couldn't imagine putting Elora in that position.

Steve and I hadn't talked about our futures either. The month had been constant damage control, communication, and trying to learn the ropes of parenthood. The now was all we cared about. Not retirement, not buying a house in the countryside, but surviving the chaos.

"You good?" Steve met me on the ramp and walked with me.

"When we get back we need to talk about our futures."

Head tilting, Steve nodded in understanding upon meeting my eyes. Stepping onto the ship together, we sat down in tow open seat near the back. Soon after, Nat stepped on and sat in front of us. Another few minutes and the ship filled up with our team.

"Okay, who here hasn't been to space?" The only person to raise his hand was Rhodey.

Frowning, Rhodey shook his head, "That's not fair."

"You better not throw up on my ship," I sent Nat a pointed look. She scowled back, "Approaching jump in 3... 2... 1!"

I hadn't been through a jump in years, having traveled to and from space solely by the Bifrost. The stomach dropping pressure placed on my entire body was foreign, and unwelcome because I was already uncomfortable from postpartum healing. Though, I wasn't as pale and nauseous seeming as Nat was.

"I hate space," she groaned when we stopped.

"Eh, everything says that at first," Rocket waved off her complaint, "That looks like the right planet."

Carol unbuckled her seat, traveling to the back of the ship. Seconds later, she was outside, helmet on.

"I'll head down for ground recon," she informed us, flying into the planet's orbit.

It became a waiting game. All of us unbuckled and moved to the different main areas of the ship. Steve sat down at the round table. Nat and I sat on either side of him.

"This is going to work Steve," Nat assured quietly.

"I know it will. Cause I don't know what I'm gonna do if it doesn't."

Reaching out, I took his hand in mine. Squeezing it, I let out a slow breath. Pre-mission anxiety. Hadn't felt that in a while.

 _"No satellites, no ships, no armies, no ground defenses of any kind. It's just him."_ Carol flew back to the ship.

"Then that's enough."

~*~

"Go!"

The team burst through the barriers of Thanos' makeshift home. Carol through the roof, Bruce through the ground, and Steve through the door. After holding him down and slicing off the gauntleted arm, Rhodey and Rocket dropped down, guns aimed at his head.

Through all the focus on the mission, I missed the fact that Steve was wearing his outfit from 2014 when we found Bucky. Whether it was to mourn or avoid the memories that came with his other suit I would ask later.

Walking up the rickety steps, Nat Steve and I formed a triangle of glares that could kill. Rocket kicked the sliced off gauntlet. No stones were inside. It was empty.

"Oh, no."

"Where are they?" Nat hissed, hand going to her thigh holster.

Carol tightened her grip on his neck, "Answer the question!"

"The universe required correction. After that, the stones served no purpose, beyond temptation," Thanos grit out.

"You murdered trillions!" Bruce yelled, almost furious enough to turn into the Hulk- if the Hulk would be willing.

"You should be thankful," Thanos shot back.

"Where are the stones?" Steve questioned, holding out hope. I shook my head. I knew. Deep down I knew.

"They're gone Steve," I whispered, biting back my tears.

Thanos nodded, adding, "Reduced to atoms."

"You used them two days ago!"

"I used the stones to destroy the stones. It nearly killed me. But the work is done. it always will be. I am inevitable."

"We have to tear this place apart, he has to be lying." Rhodey held onto irrational hope.

Nebula shook her head, eyes flitting away from and back to her tormentor, "My father is many things. A liar is not one of them."

"Thank you, daughter. Perhaps I treated you too harshly," Thanos met my eyes, "Treat your daughter well. She was lucky to survive-"

Before anyone could react, Thor summoned Stormbreaker and sliced off Thanos' head. Hand whipping to my mouth, I gasped. Turning to me, Thor nodded slightly. Protecting Elora's honor was the only excuse he needed to jump into action.

"What... what did you do?" Rocket was speechless, staring at the limp body in front of him.

Turning, Thor meandered out of the shed- no real purpose in his steps, "I went for the head."

Avoiding looking at the gruesome scene, I focused on Nat and Steve. Devastated, both of them. But Nat gave me a look, and as if I could read her mind, I understood.

Elora would never meet Varian, or Greer, or Wanda, Bucky, Sam, Peter.  
But she'd have her parents. And I wasn't going to do anything to take that chance away from her.

 


	31. Time Travel

**5**   **Years Later**

"Elora, buckle up. We're landing soon."

"Alright Mommy," Elora dutifully plopped down in the co-pilot seat, buckling up, "I can't wait to see Daddy!"

Sending her a small glance of surprise, I smiled. Because she grew up around two different languages, she often slipped into one or the other, calling me  _ejo_  and Steve  _gysk_  in an English sentence. She was young and struggled the same way I did.

Flipping the necessary switches for a smooth landing. Sighing dreamily, I nodded in response to her earlier statement, "Me neither."

The ship rumbled as it passed through Earth's atmosphere. Check, double, triple check. All to make sure we would land correctly. Even though we never had any problems when returning home.

The ship passed through the atmosphere. Leaning our heads against our seats, we waited until New York was in sight to unbuckle and move around again. Automatically, the ship landed in the parking lot of our apartment building, barely any cars in the surrounding spaces.

Quickly, I whipped out my phone and texted Steve to tell him we were on Earth. Based on our last conversation, he should have been back from his group therapy session and at the apartment.

"Do you have everything?" I questioned Elora, grabbing my own bags and slinging them over my shoulders.

"Yep! I even have the present  _quekni_  and  _quekno_  gave me!" Elora embraced the stuffed Orflak- sort of a wolf but with longer, blue fur- my parents had gifted her before we left for Earth.

Smile stretching across my face, I chuckled. Elora was adorable, full of light and life. She was what I needed to keep pushing on. Her and Steve.

Stepping out of the ship I took in a deep breath. Earth's pollution levels had dropped exponentially since the snap. A plus side within the darkness of the overall situation.

We took the elevator up to our level. After a brief struggle with my keys, I managed to swing the door open.

" _Gysk_!" Things forgotten in the threshold, Elora jumped into her father's arms. Steve laughed, spinning Elora in the air, "I missed you!"

Steve set Elora down, kneeling to her short height, "I missed you too. Did Grandma and Grandpa give you that stuffed animal?"

"Yeah! It was a present because I've been doing good in school! I'm gonna put it on my bed."

"Awesome! I was thinking of visiting Auntie Nat tonight. What do you think?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Elora ran back to the door, picked up her bag and stuffed animal, and sprinted to her room.

Taking advantage of the time we had, Steve, and I greeted each other with a long kiss and a tight hug. Squeezing him tightly, I sighed.

"She stays with you the next time I have to go to Orveon to rule."

Steve chuckled, the sound vibrating off my cheek, "How's co-ruling going?"

Sighing again, I stepped back, "My parents said they can handle things for the next month, but they want me to start ruling for longer periods of time. Within the next ten years, they want me to be officially coronated."

"That'd mean-"

"They want me to move to Orveon in the next year or two," I nodded.

"They're bringing that up again?" Steve grabbed a stack of papers from the counter, "But I just found some new houses. I understand if you want to move to Orveon, but we can't within the next  _year_. Not with everything that's going on."

" _Nothing's_  going on Steve," I flipped through the houses he laid down, "We tried our best. What we need now is to think about the future. I know how much you love Earth, I love it too. But maybe moving to Orveon is-"

"Daddy, I can't find my shoes."

"She was wearing shoes when she got here," Steve hurried off, making me laugh.

Staying on Earth or moving to Orveon had been a big debate between me and Steve the past few years. In the past, the close past, I had wanted nothing more than to get away from home and explore the universe. But I had changed, developed. War wasn't something I sought out. Steve was the same way. He wasn't fighting in different countries to calm the world down; he had settled and was leading group therapy. I was co-ruling and making Elora grow up on two different worlds. She needed something more constant.

Waiting for Steve and Elora, I finished looking through the house options Steve printed. Upstate New York, like the Barton household. Most of them were four bedrooms.

Reaching into my duffle, I pulled out my own stack of homes. Printing potential forever homes was impossible at first until I physically brought one from Earth to Orveon and figured out how to make it work there.

On the top, was one I marked with a star. 10 acres, by a pond, modern in terms of Orveon's magical advancements- 5 bedrooms, cheap. All real estate was since there weren't many to compete against.

Steve and Elora reentered. Shoe problem solved, we could travel up to the compound.

"You got everything you need?" I asked the two, leaving my bags in the kitchen and replacing them with my purse.

"Pretty sure. Mind if we fly there?"

Chuckling, I shrugged, "Sure, not like we just spent five hours on the ship or anything."

With that, we left. Despite the distance between our New York apartment and the compound, we visited often enough to have our old rooms full of clothes, meaning we could either stay, or I could at the very least shower and shake off the space travel.

Loading up on the ship yet again, Steve sat in the co-pilot seat instead of Elora. Our daughter settled in the back, yawned, and closed her eyes.

"Space travel always tires her out," I giggled, inputting the compounds coordinates, "The same could be said for both of us though, I could use a good nap."

"Let's switch seats then. I know how to use the ship well enough to get to the compound," Steve offered. Without hesitation, I unbuckled and sat down again in the co-pilot seat.

"Thanks,  _neod._  I love you."

"I love you too."

Leaning back against the head of my seat, I closed my eyes and happily drifted off, feeling complete with my family around me.

~*~

"Weird that the base is still so well kept," I stepped into the large building, looking around the clean halls. There was no staff, so it was just Nat making sure things were clean.

"Auntie Nat!" Elora ran ahead of us, peeking into every room around her to see if Nat was inside, "Auntie Nat!"

"Hey, munchkin!" Nat was inside one of the offices, what had become her base, "What are you doing here?"

"We thought it'd be nice to visit," I noticed her red eyes and wavering smile, "Elora, you know where our old rooms are, yeah? Can you go get Mommy a sweatshirt?"

Elora gave Nat another hug and ran off, giving us a chance to talk alone. Steve leaned against the bookshelf, sighing. I stepped closer to Nat, squeezing her shoulder comfortingly.

"You know I'd offer to cook you dinner but you seem pretty miserable already."

Nat chuckled, and sniffled, "You guys here to do your laundry?"

"And to see a friend," Steve shrugged.

"Clearly, your friend is fine."

"Oh, Nat," I pulled her closer, rubbing her arm, "We're sorry to leave you here alone so often."

Nat decided to stay at the compound after our failure with Thanos. With the others traveling around the universe, Bruce off doing science, Thor MIA in New Asgard, me traveling to Orveon often, and Steve leading therapy in New York, she didn't have much to ground her.

"You know I saw a pod of whales when I was coming up the bridge," Steve shifted the topic of conversation to something less depressing.

"In the Hudson?"

"There's fewer ships, cleaner water."

"You know if you're about to tell me to look on the bright side. I'm about you to hit you in the head with a peanut butter sandwich," Nat motioned to her unfinished sandwich.

"Sorry. Force of habit," Steve sat down across from us, "You know, I keep telling everyone they should move on and... grow. Some do. But not us. Elora's all that keeps me from losing my mind most days."

I nodded in agreement.

"If I move on, who does this?" Nat motioned to the room around her.

"Maybe it doesn't need to be done, Nat," I stated quietly, noticing the ballet shoes beneath her desk, "Coming from someone who was focused on seeking out fights for most of her life, you're allowed a chance for peace."

Nat nudged the slippers under her with her foot, "I used to have nothing. Then I got this. This job, this family. And I was- I was better because of it. And even though... they're gone... I'm still trying to be better."

"All of us need to get some therapy."

Nat sent me a smirk, "You first."

"Here you go  _ejo_ ," Elora threw a sweatshirt at me and climbed onto Nat's lap. Laughing, I pulled it over my head to continue the ruse that I actually needed it, "Can I eat that sandwich Auntie?"

"Sure munch-"

_"Uh, hi. Hi! Is anyone home? This is Scott Lang. We met a few years ago, at the airport? In Germany? I got really big, and I had my mask on. You wouldn't recognize me."_

Elora picked up the peanut butter and jelly sandwich and took a big bite out of it, "Who's that?"

"Scott Lang," I whispered, jumping up, "He supposedly disappeared in the snap."

"Is this an old message?"

Moving Elora from her lap to her feet, Nat stood, "It's the front gate."

_"Ant-man? Ant-man, I know you know that. I need to talk to you guys."_

Nat pressed a button on her desk and the gates swung open. Scott jogged back to his car and drove inside. The moments up to his arrival inside were tense and silent, the only sound being Elora humming to herself.

"Oh God, hi," Scott ran inside the office, panting, "I don't know what's going on. Is that- that kid is purple?"

"And you're white," Elora shot back, causing me to snort despite the circumstances.

"Scott, this is our daughter, Elora. I had her right after the snap. But that isn't what's important. How are you alive?"

"What do you mean?"

"What she means is that everyone thought you turned to dust in the snap. But now you're here, alive, and you haven't aged."

Scott began to pace, obviously lost in his thoughts while muttering to himself. Our hero trio shared confused looks.

"Are you okay?" Steve finally asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Scott waved his hand, then blurted, "Have either of you ever studied Quantum Physics?"

Nat shrugged, stating sarcastically, "Only in mid-conversation."

"Alright. So... five years ago, right before Thanos, I was in a place called the Quantum Realm. The Quantum Realm is like its own microscopic universe. To get in there, you have to be incredibly small. Hope, she's my- She was my- She was supposed to pull me out. And then Thanos happened, and that snap thing, I got stuck in there."

"I'm sorry. That must've been a very long five years."

"Yeah, but that's just it. For me it was five hours," Scott expanded on his rant about the Quantum Realm, "See, the rules of the Quantum Realm aren't like they are up here. Everything is unpredictable. Is that anybody's sandwich? I'm starving."

"Don't take my sandwich," Elora picked up the other half of the sandwich, holding it close to her chest.

"Elora," I warned. Elora sighed and gave Scott the half.

"Thanks, kid," Scott bit into the bread.

"Scott, what are you talking about?"

"What I'm saying is, time works differently in the Quantum Realm. The only problem is right now, we don't have a way to navigate it. But what if we did? I can't stop thinking about it. What if, we could somehow control the chaos, and we could navigate it? What if there was a way to enter the Quantum Realm at a certain point in time but then exit at another point in time? Like before Thanos."

"Scott, you're talking about a time machine," I scoffed at the concept. Sure, magic and science both were vast and many aspects of them were unknown, but time travel? It had been tried time and time again and always failed.

"No. No, of course not. No, not a time machine. It's more like a- Yeah, a time machine. I know it's crazy. But I can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be some way- No, it's crazy."

"I get emails from a raccoon, so nothing sounds crazy anymore," Nat shrugged.

"If we're  _actually_  going to try to do this, then we need to visit Tony."

~*~

"Can I go play with Morgan?" Elora was bouncing in her seat, head practically outside the window as she looked for her friend.

"Absolutely, remember your manners!" I called as Elora jumped out of the car and sprinted up the porch, hugging Tony's legs before running into the house with Morgan.

"You actually brought the husband this time?" Tony motioned to Steve, "And friends. Is there a birthday I forgot about?"

"Sorry, Tony, but there's something else we're here about."

While the others barely visited Tony, preferring to let him lead his life, I tried to visit as often as I could. Not only to help out around the house and help Tony through what had happened to him- as both of us loved Peter- but because Morgan was only a year younger than Elora and both of them needed good friends. Steve had come along twice, both times more awkward than I cared to admit.

Stepping onto the porch, Scott explained his entire idea/plan to the genius in front of him. Everything from what the realm did to his own experience with only being there for five hours. When he was done, he noticed how skeptical Tony seemed.

"Now, I know what it sounds like-"

"Tony, after everything you've seen, is anything really impossible?" Steve interrupted, eyes bright with hope. I hadn't seen him like that since we were flying to space five years before.

"Quantum fluctuation messes with the Planck scale, which then triggers the Deutsch proposition. Can we agree on that?"

I shrugged. Scott, Steve, and Nat shared confused looks. Science wasn't their fields, but magic was mine. And magic and science often overlapped.

"He's basically saying that we won't come home," I clarified, nodding when Tony thanked me.

"I did."

"No, you accidentally survived. It's a billion to one cosmic fluke. And now you wanna pull off a... What do you call it?"

Scott shifted in embarrassment, "A time heist?"

"Yeah, a time heist. Of course, why didn't we think of this before? Oh, because it's laughable? Because it's a pipedream?"

"The stones are in the past. We can go back and get them."

"We can snap our own fingers. We can bring everyone back."

"Or screw it up worse than he already has, right?"

"I don't believe we would."

"Gotta say, sometimes I miss that giddy optimism. However, high hopes won't help if there's no logical, tangible way for me to safely execute said time heist. I believe the most likely outcome would be our collective demise."

"Not if we strictly follow the rules of time travel. That means no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events-"

"Scott that's not how time travel would work if we can do it. Are you basing your knowledge off of Back to the Future?"

"No," Scott leaned in, "I thought you were on my side, (Y/n)."

"Tony, we have to take a stand."

"We did stand. And yet, here we are," Tony pointed at the house behind him, and the surrounding land.

"I know you got a lot on the line. You got a wife, a daughter. But I lost someone very important to me. A lot of people did. And now, now we have a chance to bring her back. Bring everyone back. And you're telling me that won't even-"

"That's right, Scott. I won't. Leave it. Got a kid," Tony looked to me and Steve, "So do you. Have you  _really_  thought about the risks of this mission? About what could happen to you, or in turn, what could happen to Elora?"

Morgan and Elora ran outside. Morgan jumped into her father's arms, and Elora jumped into Steve's.

"Mommy told me to come and save you," Morgan told Tony.

"Good job. I'm saved," Tony turned back to us, "I wish you'd come here to ask me something else. Anything else. Honestly, I  missed you guys, it was- Oh, and the table's set for eight. It's a big table."

"Tony, I get it. And I'm happy for you, I really am. But this is a second chance."

"I got my second chance right here, Cap. I can't roll the dice again. If you don't talk shop, you can stay for lunch."

The group let out a collective sigh and walked back to the car. I hesitated, running a hand through Elora's hair, "Do you wanna spend a night or two with Morgan and her parents?"

"Yeah! Sleepover!" Elora moved from Steve's arms to mine.

"I'll be back in a sec," I carried Elora back to the house, knocking on the door before stepping inside, "Hey, would it be okay if Elora spent a day or two with you guys? Things are going to get kind of crazy, so I want to make sure she's safe and having fun."

"Sure," Pepper stood to get a plate for Elora, hugging me on the way, "It's good to see you (Y/n)."

"You too Pepper," I smiled, turning to Tony when she was in the kitchen, "Tony, whatever you choose, I'll understand.  _We'll_  understand. But that doesn't mean we're going to give up."

Tony sighed, "I know. All of you are too stubborn for your own good."

Pepper returned, and we stopped speaking about the mission. I gave Elora a tight hug and promised to drop off some clothes for her later that day.

"Thank you again."

"No problem. Good luck (Y/n)."

With that, I left and met the others at the car where they were already discussing our other options so we could continue.

"What are you guy thinking?" I questioned.

"Bruce," Steve stated, starting up the car.

"Alright. We'll see how that goes."

~*~

The last time I saw Bruce he was working on his connection with the Hulk. Sitting inside a booth at the cafe, I saw how well that worked out for him. The Hulk and Bruce had become one person, working in unison. If I wasn't an alien and purple with scales, I would stop to stare at how strange he looked.

"Come on, I feel like I'm the only one eating," Bruce pushed one of the many plates on the table forward, "Try some of that. Have some eggs."

"I'm so confused," Scott mumbled.

Bruce's expression became serious, "These are confusing times."

"Right. No, no, that's not what I meant."

"No, I get it. I'm kidding! I know. It's crazy. I'm wearing shirts now," Bruce pointed out his shirt, laughing happily, "Five years ago, we got our asses beat. Except it was worse for me. Because I lost twice. First, Hulk lost, then Banner lost. Then, we all lost."

"No one blamed you, Bruce," Nat assured gently.

"I did. For years, I've been treating the Hulk like he's some kind of disease, something to get rid of. But then I started looking at him as the cure. Eighteen months in a gamma lab. I put the brains and the brawn together. And now look at me. Best of both worlds!"

Three kids approached Bruce nervously. The girl in the middle spoke first, "Excuse me, Mr. Hulk? Can we get a photo?"

"One hundred percent, little person. Come on, step up," Hulk gently took the phone and held it out to Scott, "You mind?" Scott took it and held it up, "Say 'green'!"

"Green!"

"Did you get that? That's good."

Scott leaned forward to hand back the phone, "Don't you wanna grab one with me? I'm Ant-Man."

Groaning, I buried my head in my hands. Things were already weird enough with Scott being so confused and out of touch.

"Wait, no, no, he wants to- You want to take a picture with him, right?" The boy shook his head vigorously.

"He's even saying no he doesn't. I get it. I don't want it either. I don't want a picture with them."

"He's gonna feel bad. Sorry. They said they'd do it."

"I don't want it anymore."

"You'd feel bad."

"Just take the goddamn phone."

"Thank you, Mr. Hulk."

"No, it's great kids. Thank you very much. Hulk out!" Bruce dabbed, "Dab. Listen to your Mom. She knows better."

"Why am I friend with you people," I asked myself, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Burce. About what we were saying..." Steve cut in, as uncomfortable as I was.

"Right. The whole time travel do-over? Guys, it's outside my area of expertise," Bruce shrugged simply.

"Well, you pulled this off. I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible time, too."

My phone dinged with a text from Tony.

_I'd like the record to state that I didn't teach your daughter how to say shit. That was obviously Pepper._

Shaking my head in disappointment, I left him on read to focus on convincing Bruce.

"This is our chance Bruce," I added, sticking my phone back in my purse, "Think about how much good this would do."

Bruce hummed in thought, silent for a few seconds before he nodded, "Alright. Let's do this."

 


	32. Golf Cart

After taking nearly two hours to set everything up, in which I took a twenty minute break to visit Elora and drop some clothes off, we were ready to do a test run for our time machine.

"Okay, here we go. Time travel test number one. Scott, fire up the uh... van thing," Bruce instructed, giving his machines one last look over.

"Breakers are set, emergency generators are on standby," Steve reported.

"If your soul is lost I'm ready to project my astral form and retrieve it. Your body will be lost," I told Scott, giving him two pats on the arm when he paled.

"Yeah, it'd be stuck in the 1950s," Bruce added distractedly.

"Excuse me?"

"They're kidding," Nat turned to us and hissed, "You can't say things like that."

"It was a bad joke," Bruce winced.

"You're kidding right?" Nat addressed the question to both of us again.

I have no idea. We're talking about time travel here. Either it's all a joke, or none of it is."

"Oh I wasn't joking," I shrugged, "We'd have his soul but not the body."

"Awesome," Bruce pressed a few buttons, throwing up a thumbs up, "We're good! Get your helmet on, Scott. I'm gonna send you back a week, you'll walk around for an hour, then bring you back in 10 seconds. Makes sense?"

"Perfectly not confusing," Scott lied.

"Good luck, Scott. You got this."

"You're right, Captain America, I do."

"On the count of three. 3, 2, 1!"

Bruce pressed the send off button. Then, five seconds later, pressed the same button. Instead of Scott appearing, it was a teenager in the Ant Man suit.

"Guys? This doesn't feel right," Teenager Scott looked at his hands.

"Well at least his body wasn't lost," I muttered quietly.

"Who is that?" Nat asked panickedly.

"This is Scott!"

Teen Scott got sucked back into the quantum tunnel, and came back out as an old man, "Ow! My back!"

Another switch and Scott was a baby.

"It's a baby."

"It's Scott," Bruce tried to shrug it off.

I crossed my arms, "I have one I'm not taking care of another one."

"He'll grow!"

"Bring Scott back," Steve deadpanned.

"When I say kill the power, kill the power," Bruce prepped the machine, sucked Scott back in, and- "And kill it!"

Nat killed it just in time and Scott returned to normal, wincing, "Somebody peed my pants. I don't know if it was baby me or old me. Or just me me."

Bruce held out his hands in a dramatic motion, "Time travel!"

"What?"

"I see this as an absolute win!"

Sighing, I rolled my eyes, "This isn't going to work."

Steve rolled his eyes and muttered, "I need some fresh air."

Sharing equally as disappointed looks with the others, I followed after him. His long strides easily outmatched my shorter ones as he hurried to the front of the compound. Just outside the front door was a bench. He sat down and ran a hand through his hair.

"They're trying their best," I sat down next to him, rubbing his back soothingly, "The fact that they adjusted like that says a lot about our chances. It just... might take longer than we hoped."

_Errrr_

A dark car screeched around the corner and nearly spun in front of us because of the speed. It pulled to far in front of us, reversed, then stopped. The window slowly rolled down to reveal none other than Tony Stark.

"Why the long face? Let me guess, he turned into a baby."

Steve shrugged, "Among other things, yeah. What are you doing here?"

"That's the EPR paradox. Instead of pushing Lang through time, you might've wound up pushing time through Lang. It's tricky. Dangerous. Somebody shoulda cautioned you against it."

"Just admit that you warned us," I rolled my eyes, but couldn't hold back my smile. There was only one reason he'd come to the compound, and it wasn't for lunch.

"You're right, I did. Thank god I'm here. Regardless, I fixed it," Tony held p his right hand, on which was a watch looking device, "A fully functioning Time-Space GPS. I just want peace. Turns out, resentment is corrosive, and I hate it."

"Us too."

"We got a shot at getting these stones, but I gotta tell you my priorities. Bring back everyone? I hope, yes. Keep what I got? I have to, at all costs. And maybe not die trying will be nice. I'm assuming you're the same way since you have Elora?"

Nodding enthusiastically, my heart swelled. Through all of our disagreements, different views, our arguments, and through our disbanding, we were still a family. And that meant staying with each other through anything.

"Sounds like a deal," Steve shook Tony's hand to cement his terms.

Tony turned back to his trunk and pulled out Steve's shield, holding it out to him. Steve's eyes widened, but he hesitated to take it. What Tony said to him in Siberia got to him. He felt like the original shield wasn't his to keep anymore.

"Tony, I don't know..."

"Why? He made it for you. Plus, honestly I have to get it out of the garage before Morgan takes it sledding."

Although more motivated, Steve hesitated again, so I cut in, "Steve, if you don't take that shield I'm going to take it for you and become the new Captain America."

At that Steve slid his arm into the grip. Perfect fit, as always, "Thank you, Tony."

"Will you keep that a little quiet? Didn't bring one for the whole team. Sorry Princess, or are you Queen now?" I shrugged, Tony continued, "We are getting the whole team, yeah?"

"We're working on that right now."

~*~

After a quick discussion with the newly arrived Rocket, Nebula, and Rhodey, we broke off into factions to recruit who we could. Rocket, Bruce, and I were the closest to Thor- who went MIA in New Asgard after our last failed missions, so we took a quinjet, then a truck to New Asgard.

"I should spend some more time here and fix it up," I muttered distastefully. It was similar to a fishing town, but more rundown. Thor was slacking on his kingly duties.I'd have to give him a good smack for that.

"Kind of a step down from a from a golden palace for an Avenger highness and whatnot," Rocket muttered distastefully.

"Have a little compassion, pal," Bruce scolded quietly, "First they've lost Asgard, then half the people. They're probably just happy to have a home."

Bruce spotted Valkyrie, whom I had met on my first and only visit to New Asgard, and approached her happily.

"You shouldn't have come!" She lifted a barrel and move it across the dock.

"Valkyrie! Great to see you, Angry Girl!"

Valkyrie observed Bruce's new appearance in disdain, lips pursing, "I think I liked you better either of the other ways."

Ignoring her insult, Bruce pointed to Rocket, "This is Rocket. And you remember (Y/n)."

"Nice to see you again."

"How you doin'?"

"He won't see you."

"That bad, huh?" Bruce sighed.

"We only see him once a month, when he comes for," Valkyrie sent an obvious glance to a pile of kegs on the side, "Supplies."

"Valkyrie, you forget who you're talking to. If anyone can pull Thor's head out of his ass, it's me . And his mother, may she rest in peace."

"Fine, if you want to try go ahead," Valkyrie pointed out a house in the town, "That's his house. Good luck."

Bidding Valkyrie goodbye, we left the dock and took the short walk up to the rickety building. Without knocking, Rocket opened the door and stepped inside. The smell of Midgardian alcohol was strong and immediate, burning my nose and making me cringe.

"Woo! Something died in here," Rocket waved in front of his nose.

"Hello? Thor?" Bruce called out cautiously.

"Are you here about the cable?" Thor walked into view and our jaws dropped. Thor, with a button up half hanging off his body, had put on more than a couple pounds since I had visited him last.

"The Cinemax ran out about two weeks ago, and the sports were all kind of fuzzy," he finally noticed we weren't the cable guy, "Guys! Oh my God! How have you been? Come here, you little rascal!"

Rocket narrowly avoided being pulled into a hug, "No, I'm good. I'm good. That's not necessary."

"Hulk, you know my friends, Miek, Korg, right?"

Miek and Korg were sitting on the couch, playing Fortnite and eating chips. The entire concept made me want to keel over in both disappointment and laughter. But above it all, was sadness. I had been so concerned with keeping up with Steve, my planet, Nat, Tony and his family, and raising Elora, that I left Thor alone and allowed him to go  _far_  downhill.

"Hey guys. Long time no see. Beer's on the bucket. Feel free to log on to the Wi-Fi. No password, obviously," Korg paused, "Thor, he's back. The kid on the TV that called me a dickhead again."

"Noobmaster?"

"Yeah, Noobmaster69."

Facepalming, the disappointment overwhelmed my sadness, "Please tell me this is all in my imagination."

"Noobmaster? Yeah, it's Thor again. You know, the God of Thunder? Listen, buddy. If you don't log off this game immediately, I'm gonna fly over to your house, come down to that basement you're hiding in, rip off your arms then shove them up your butt! Oh, that's right. Yes, now go cry to your father, you little weasel!"

Thor handed the headset back.

"Thank you, Thor."

"Let me know if he bothers you again, okay?"

"Thank you very much. I will."

"So you guys want a drink? What are you drinking? We have beer, tequila, all sorts of things."

I hated to imagine how much alcohol Thor had been drinking to stay as out of it as he was. On cue, Thor used Stormbreaker to open a bottle of beer and began chugging it.

"Thor, what the  _qwip_  is wrong with you?" I finally snapped, snatching the bottle out of his hand.

"What do you mean? I'm fine! Don't I look all right?"

"No! You look like  _wurn_. I can't believe you would let yourself become like this when you should be ruling New Asgard," pinching the bridge of my nose, I took in a deep breath, "I'm concerned about you Thor. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you through this. But your people, Loki... I lost them too. And I miss them everyday, but this isn't helping anyone."

Thor stared down at me, and for a second, I thought I saw genuine emotion in his eyes, but he quickly covered it up with a laugh, "Since when have you been so sentimental? Motherhood has changed you (Y/n). In any case, what's up?"

"We need your help. There might be a chance we could fix everything," Bruce cut on, placing a hand on my shoulder to let me know I should step back.

"What, like the cable?," Thor burped loudly, "Cause that's been driving me bananas for weeks."

"Like Thanos."

The tension became thick in seconds. Korg and Miek stopped playing their games, and Thor's smile fled. He put a shaky hand on Bruce's shoulder, "Don't say that name."

"Um, yeah. We don't actually say that name in here," Korg informed.

"You can't erase what happened, but that doesn't mean we can't changed it," I said quietly.

"Exactly, now, I know that  _guy_  might scare you-"

"Why would I be? Why would, why would I be scared of that guy? I'm the one who killed that guy, remember? Anyone else here killed that guy? Nope. Didn't think so. Korg, why don't you, tell everybody who chopped Thanos' big head off."

"Stormbreaker?"

"Now, who's swingin' Stormbreaker?"

"I get it. You're in a rough spot, okay? I've been there myself. You wanna know who helped me out of it?"

"I don't know. Is it Natasha?"

"It was you," Bruce corrected, "You helped me."

Thor grabbed another beer, and I resisted the urge to throw it out the window, "Why don't you ask the, Asgardians down there, how much my help was worth. The ones that are left, anyway."

"Don't you get it Thor? We can bring them back! We've lost many, and there are some who can't return," my mind wandered to Loki, "But there are those who  _can_. Don't you want to give them that chance?"

"Stop. Just, stop," Thor opened a packet of m&ms, "I know you think I'm down here wallowing in my own self-pity, waiting to be rescued and saved. But I'm fine, okay? We're fine, aren't we?"

"Nah, all good here, mate!"

"So, whatever it is that you're offering, we're not into it, don't care, couldn't care less. Goodbye."

"We need you, pal."

Rocket crossed his arms, "There's beer on the ship."

"And tons of pictures of Elora," I added desperately, "You haven't seen her in  _years_."

Thor paused, "What kind of beer?"

~*~

That led us back to the compound after my thousand pictures of Elora- some tears as Thor realized what he missed out on- and three beers chugged later.

When we arrived, everyone else was already there, including Clint, brooding in a corner. Sneaking up behind him, I squeezed his shoulders.

"Did I scare ya?" I smiled brightly when he smirked slightly.

"No, nice try though."

"It's easier with Elora," I shrugged, searching for the right words, "I'm sorry... about your family. They were mine too, and it was devastating to hear that all of them were gone too."

Clint's jaw clenched. And, albeit hesitantly, I pulled him into a hug. Sighing into my hair, he squeezed me tightly.

"How did you know I had the same phone?" He alluded to all the pictures and videos I had sent him of Elora over the years.

"Because I know you... I'm really glad you're back. And with a haircut and tattoo. Insteresting."

Clint chuckled, shrugging, "Times have changed. That much is obvious. I'm gonna go check in with Steve. You wanna come?"

"I need to deal with Thor. Glad you're back Clint," Seperating from him, I stepped into the main lab again where Thor was drinking yet another beer.

Jogging up behind him, I snatched the glass out of his hands. Without hesitation I chucked it across the room, deriving a strange pleasure as it shattered. The glass would be easy enough to pick up with some magic.

"Why would you do that?" Thor cried out, staring at his broken drink sadly.

"Because you need to stop, or the next thing I shatter if your kneecaps" I seethed, pointing a strict finger. He nodded frantically, and wandered off. Rolling my eyes, I stepped up to Tony.

"That was intense," he chuckled, swiping a few things around on a hologram, "It must be hard, seeing him like that."

"From what I've heard, you were like that too. Destroying yourself because you were so full of anxiety. How'd you get through it?"

Tony shrugged, "I didn't. I just handle it better. Pick my battles, got therapy, medication. Stuff like that doesn't go away, you just learn to control it."

Nodding in understanding, I turned my attention to the group entering the lab. One major change, instead of Scott wearing the Quantum Suit, it was Clint.

"Clint, now you're gonna feel a little discombobulated from the chronoshift. Don't worry about it," Bruce warned casually as Clint stepped up.

"Wait a second, let me ask you something. If we can do this, you know, go back in time, why don't we just find baby Thanos, you know, and..." Rhodey made a few dark hand gestures.

"Rhodey, that is wrong on so many levels," I scolded, shuddering at the thought.

Rhodey shrugged, "It's Thanos."

"On top of that, time doesn't work that way," Bruce added, "Changing the past doesn't change the future."

"Look, we go back, we get the stones before Thanos gets them. Thanos doesn't have the stones. Problem solved!" Scott stated simply.

"That's not how it works," Nebula disagreed.

"Well, that's what I heard."

"What? By who? Who told you that?"

"Star Trek, Terminator, TimeCop, Time After Time-"

"Quantum Leap-"

"A Wrinkle in Time, Somewhere in Time-"

"Hot Tub Time Machine-"

"Hot Tub Time Machine. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Basically, any movie that deals with time travel."

Rhodey and Scott were basically feeding each other's diluted ideas about time travel. I face palmed.

"If you travel to the past, that past becomes your future. And your former present becomes the past. What you're doing is not changing your future, but creating a new one, branching off," I explained as simply as I could.

"So... Back To The Future's a bunch of bullshit?" Scott asked sadly.

Bruce, ignoring Scott's question, turned to Clint, "Alright, Clint. We're going in 3... 2... 1!"

Clint popped out of existence. Seconds later he returned, obviously out of it. Nat rushed to his aid.

"Hey, hey. Look at me. You okay?"

Clint held up a baseball glove. Cooper's baseball glove, "Yeah, it worked. It worked."

All of us exchanged excited smiles. Steve stepped up to my side and hugged me tightly. We did it. We managed to figure out time travel.

"We're gonna get them back," I whispered, Steve's heartbeat was fast, like a hummingbird's. From excited or nerves I didn't know. But I felt the same way.

~*~

After discovering that our time machine worked, we moved to the main meeting room to discuss when and where we would go to get all of the stones successfully.

"Okay, so the 'how' works. Now we gotta figure out the when and the where. Almost all of us have had an encounter with at least one of the six infinity stones."

"Well I'd substitute the word encounter for damn well near been killed by one of the six infinity stones," Tony quipped.

Scott gave us all confused looks, "I haven't, I don't even know what the hell you're all talking about."

"How can someone be so experienced and yet so naive," I asked myself quietly, texting Pepper under the table so I wouldn't get scolded.

_How are things going? Tony told me the test was successful_

_It was! We're planning right now. How's Elora?_

_Causing trouble with Morgan. Nothing out of the usual_

_Just make sure she doesn't light anything on fire. She's been practicing magic lately_

_I'll keep you updated on what's going on. Ttyl_

"Regardless, we only have enough Pym Particles for one round trip each, and these stones have been in a lot of different places throughout history."

"Our history. So, not a lot of convenient spots to just drop in."

"Which means we have to pick our targets."

"Let's start with the Aether. Thor, what do you know?"

We turned to Thor, who was sitting in a chair with sunglasses on. It was impossible to tell if he was sleeping or not.

"For Atreya's sake," I picked up the newest glass of water and threw it on him, waking him up with a start, "Welcome back Thor. We need you to tell us about the Aether."

"So rude to the King of Asgard," Thor muttered, taking his sunglasses off and rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"You love me. Now go," I pointed at the holograms.

Begrudgingly, Thor stood and stood in front of the pictures of the stones. Clearing his throat, he motioned to the Reality Stone.

"The Aether, first, is not a stone. It's more of an angry sludge thing, so someones gonna need to amend that. Here's an interesting story though, many years ago my grandfather had to hide the stones from the Dark Elves," Thor wiggled his fingers, "So Jane- She's... an old flame of mine. She stuck her hand inside a rock this one time and then the Aether stuck itself inside her. And, she became very, very sick. So I had to take her to Asgard, which is where I'm from. And we had to try and fix her. We were dating at the time, you see. I got to introduce her to my Mother... who's dead, and oh you know, Jane and I aren't even dating anymore, these things happen though you know, nothing lasts forever-"

"Alright bud," Tony started to push him back to his chair.

"I'm not done yet, the only thing permanent in life is impermanence," Thor concluded, finally sitting down again.

"Awesome. Eggs? Breakfast?"

"I'd like a Bloody Mary, thank you."

Natasha, scrolling through her phone, stated "I ordered Postmates like twenty minutes ago. They're driving up right now. You're all welcome."

As Nat gave her announcement, the front entrance proximity alarms went off and the camera popped up. An intimidated looking young man was standing there with multiple bags of diner food in his hands.

"Bruce go pay him," Nat waved her hand dismissively.

Bruce caught on and sighed, "You're cruel Nat."

But, nonetheless, he left the meeting room to greet the deliverer at the door. All of us watched in interest as Bruce approached the front in a golf cart. The sight of the Hulk trying to fit into a golf cart was hilarious, and all of us cracked up.

"When did we get a golf cart?" Clint questioned, snorting when the delivery boy began shaking in his boots.

"It was a Christmas present from me a few years back," Tony explained distractedly.

Cue Bruce driving driving back in the small cart having paid the deliverer. Minutes later he stepped back inside, dropping the food on the table. Sighing he sat silently sat down and took out one of the boxes of food.

"How was it?" Scott finally broke the silence, struggling to hold in his laughter.

"I can't believe all of you are heroes," was Bruce's only answer.

In response all of us finally broke down into laughter. Bruce shook his head in mock disappointment, making us laugh even harder. Sitting there with the team, while incomplete, filled me with a joy I hadn't felt in  _years_. It made me even happier knowing we had a chance to get everyone back again.

After passing out the food, of which I took two boxes from, we settled down and continued on with the planning while we ate. Rocket took the chance and climbed onto the table to pace around.

"Quill said he stole the power stone from Morag," he stated.

"Is that a person?"

"Morag's a planet. Desolate, abandoned. It couldn't handle its population so it fell to pieces. Much like Titan," I shook my head, digging into the food.

"A planet? Like in outer space?"

"How can you question life on other planets when I'm literally a space princess?"

"Oh, look. It's like a little puppy, all happy and everything. Do you wanna go to space? You wanna go to space, puppy? I'll take you to space."

"Enough, Rocket, I'll go next." Nebula stood and moved to the front.

Nat nudged my shoulder, and motioned to the boxes of food in front of me. Discreetly, so Steve wouldn't notice.

"What?" I mouthed. Nat rolled her eyes and wrote on her notepad.

_What's with all the food?_

"Thanos found the Soul Stone on Vormir," Nebula began.

"What is Vormir?" Nat asked, but looked to me for an answer. I shrugged, smiling knowingly.

"A dominion of death, at the very center of Celestial existence. It's where... Thanos murdered my sister."

An awkward silence fell across our group. Still, she wrote what Nebula said. It took Scott to break the awkward moment.

"Not it."

Nat wrote another thing down on her paper and passed it to me.

_Don't tell me what I think this is_

"It's a good time for a break. Everyone take five," Steve leant down to kiss my temple, "I'll be back in a few. I'm gonna run to the bathroom."

"Alright."

Steve and a few of the others left. Leaving me, Nat, Tony, and Bruce together. Nat spun in her chair to face me head on. I innocently took another bite of my food.

"Are you pregnant?" She asked the question a little too loudly and drew the attention of Bruce and Tony.

"Woah, what is this?" Tony jumped onto the table in front of me, narrowly avoiding my food, "Princess-slash-Queen (Y/n) is pregnant yet again?"

"Would you shut up?" I hissed, glancing at the glass walls around us to make sure no one was around, "Steve doesn't know yet and I'd like to keep it that way until this is over."

"Why not just tell him now?" Bruce cut in.

"He'd ask me to step out on the mission. I understand, but I can handle myself, and we need all hands on deck for this. I  _will_  tell him, and Elora, just not right now, kay?"

"At least I get to be a part of this one," Tony laid back on the table, "I sort of missed out on all of your pregnancy stuff with Elora cause you were a fugitive."

"Don't talk like you're the father," I rolled my eyes with a smile.

"If anyone should be saying that, it should be me," Bruce added, "I was in space up until she gave birth."

"Wait, hang on," Nat climbed on to the table as well, lying next to Tony as if it were the most normal thing in the world, "With you handling Elora, and travelling between Orveon and Earth, when have you two had any time to get any?"

Covering my face with my hands, I had never craved death more, "Elora has playdates with Morgan- Can we just focus please? Why are you two lying on the table?"

"They do it in the movies so it has to help somehow," Tony shrugged.

Sighing, Bruce laid down as well, "I can't believe I'm going to join in on this."

"Why not," I shrugged, lying next to Bruce, "So there are two stones we'll have to get from space for sure, and one on Asgard. That leaves three that have been on Earth."

"That Time Stone guy-"

"Doctor Strange."

"Yeah, what kind of doctor was he?"

"Neurostuff meets rabbit from a hat. Nice place in the village, though."

"Yeah. Sullivan Street. Hmm... Bleecker."

"Wait, he lived in New York? Guys, if you pick the right year, there are three stones in New York."

All of us gasped in realization.

"We're so stupid for not figuring this out sooner!"

 


	33. Loki

Soul and Power Stones in space in 2014. Reality Stone in Asgard, 2013. Space, Mind, and Time stones in New York City 2012.

"All right. We have a plan. Six stones, three teams. One shot."

All of us changed into our Quantum Realm suits and walked in a classic dramatic superhero fashion to the machine.

"Five years ago, we lost. All of us. We lost friends. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves. Today, we have a chance to take it all back. You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the stones, get them back. One round trip each. No mistakes. No do-overs. Most of us are going somewhere we know. But it doesn't mean we should know what to expect. Be careful. Look out for each other. This is the fight of our lives. And we're gonna win. Whatever it takes. Good luck."

"He's pretty good at that," I heard Rocket whisper.

"Right?"

"All right. You heard the man. Stroke those keys, jolly green."

"Tractors engaged."

"You sure you don't wanna come with our group? It'd be great for you to see the Ancient One again," Steve gave my hand a squeeze.

"I'm sure. There are people I need to see on Asgard, people I need to talk to," I smiled reassuringly. Steve picked up on what I was implying.

"Alright. I understand how much you miss them. Stay safe."

Smirking, I shrugged, "You know me, safety is my middle name."

"Actually, it's Vala, which is prettier," Nat chuckled from behind us, "Look alive team! Get into your groups. See you in a minute."

All of us shrunk and were sent back in time.

Rocket, Thor, and I popped up in the lower levels of the Asgardian Palace, just outside the prisons to avoid suspicion, although they wouldn't do anything to me. It would be Rocket and Thor that were questionable, considering Thor wasn't his usual self and Rocket was completely new.

"Everyone stay close together and don't make any loud noises," I spread my hands out and cast an illusion around us, essentially making us invisible.

Slowly, cautiously, we moved across the prison floor, staying silent as to not break the illusion. It wasn't until I saw Loki in his cell that my focus wavered. He was lying there, tossing an apple repeatedly into the air.

"You guys go ahead, there's something I need to do," I whispered, waving the two off as I stepped out of the illusion.

"Wha- wait, (Y/n)-" Rocket tried to pull me back, "We have a mission."

"Getting the Reality Stone wasn't my only mission. You'll be fine without me, and we have coms if you need help. Go."

By the time Thor and Rocket moved on, and I turned back to Loki's cell, he was already staring at me in interest, sitting up on his bed. Waving awkwardly, I approached and easily phased through the glass thanks to the Talisman.

"Hey, Loki," I greeted quietly, sitting on the bed next to him, "It's good to see you again."

Loki stood, and stepped in front of me, frowning deeply. Rolling my eyes, I opened my arms. Without hesitation he fell to his knees and hugged me tightly. Ironic, that he was the one ready to break down when I had been the one mourning him.

"It's okay. Everything's going to be alright," I stroked his hair, lying through my teeth. It filled me with guilt, but there was no way I could tell him everything about the future, especially his ill-timed end.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be on Earth with the Avengers," Loki hissed out the word, but calmed down as soon as I squeezed him tighter, "You left me alone. You refused to join me... Why?"

"You were under the scepters control, misguided, and frightened of what would happen to you if you didn't obey. I couldn't condone that and encourage you by joining. But I never wanted to leave you like this."

Loki stood again and sat down across from me, picking at his palm as he often did when he was nervous. Sighing, he asked, "You never answered why you're here."

"I'm here... on a mission for something important," I stated slowly, careful not to reveal too much. But Loki could always see right through me. He got that from Frigga, his third eye. Even though I taught him magic, I could never teach him the True Sight he held naturally.

"You can't lie to the God of Lies (Y/n). What are you doing here? You can trust me, you know you can."

Lip quivering, I pulled him into another hug. I missed him. I missed him more than anything. For five years I had thrown myself into work and my family to avoid the truth. I could get the Avengers back, but Loki was gone. Keeping him close, I explained everything. Well, not everything. Just that I was from the future and that I was on an important mission that would determine the fate of the universe.

"I could tell it's been hard for you. There was something different about you. You've aged. Tell me, what is your future like?"

"Loki I can't-"

"Not the mission. Just tell me about you," Loki gripped my arms, staring deep into my eyes.

Giving in, I admitted, "I married Steve on my home planet after the Avengers disbanded for a time. I found my magic relic, and fixed my relationship with my family. I... I had a daughter. Her name is Elora."

Loki's eyes widened, "Elora. It's beautiful. I'm happy for you (Y/n). The future may have been hard, but it's gifted you with a great many things. Tell me, am I in it?"

My heart stopped. Breathing out shakily I nodded, "You are." And it wasn't a lie. Because I wouldn't let Elora grow up without knowing about Loki. I'd be doomed to qwip if I did, "I need to go."

"Wait," Loki grabbed my hand before I could phase out of the prison, "Do you- do you think things could have gone differently for us? Do you think we could have..."

A small smile appeared on my face at the thought, "Perhaps in a different timeline. Or reality. Maybe there's a reality where I was born on Asgard, and we fought together through everything, got married-"

"Made it through a land of gods and monsters?" Loki finished, chuckling bitterly, "I'd have loved to see that come true. Yet here we are."

"I love you Loki," I whispered, smiling through my rising emotions, "Never forget that. We didn't work out, but that doesn't mean I don't care for you. You have and always will be my best friend."

"Goodbye (Y/n)."

With that I stepped out of the cell and hurried up to the main level, almost immediately running into a sprinting Rocket.

"What's going on?" Without question I ran along with him.

"The guards!"

As if on cue, guards behind us yelled, "Get that rabbit!"

Thor and Frigga were just ahead of us. Rocket stopped momentarily, panting, "Hey. You must be Mom. I got the thing. Come on, we got to move."

"Frigga, I miss you, I love you, you're amazing!" I gave the woman I tight hug, "Wow, that was really nice. This has been a good time travel trip for me."

"You two ready? Three... two..."

"No, wait!" Thor held out his hand. I gasped knowingly. I hadn't even thought about Mjolnir.

"What am I looking at?" Rocket questioned.

"Oh, sometimes it takes a second."

Mjolnir slammed into Thor's hand, and he laughed joyously, "I'm still worthy."

"Awesome," I rolled my eyes, "Just what we need right now."

"Goodbye, Mom."

"Goodbye."

We slammed our hands down onto our watches and were sucked back home. Upon arrival, everyone shared relieved and amazed looks. By all counts, we had achieved the impossible.

"Did we get them all?" Bruce broke the happy silence.

"You telling me this'll actually work?"

It wasn't until we took count of who was there that we realized something was off.

"Clint, where's Nat?"

The silence that followed was deafening. It was like death was breathing down our necks, letting us know what had happened and what our fates could be.

"No," my hand went to cover my mouth in a feeble attempt to muffle my sobs, "She can't... she can't be gone!"

Steve was by my side in an instant, hugging my tightly without delay. I just got back from speaking to a fallen friend, I couldn't lose another one. It couldn't... not Nat. Not the woman I called sister. Not the first person I told about my newest pregnancy.

The cost was great.

~*~

"May Atreya guide your soul high above. May you rest in heaven, run through the fields of Valhalla, meet your creator and know that your sacrifice paved the way to a universe of peace. Your life was not easy, nor did you spend all of it on the right side, but... you did it Nat. You cleared the red from your ledger."

Sitting on the end of the lakes dock, the original team watched as I pressed a crystal to Nat's ballet shoes. They glowed brightly, and shifted into lights similar to fireflies, floating into the air until no longer visible.

"Do we know if she had family?" Tony asked quietly as we moved away from the impromptu funeral service. We didn't even have a body to bury.

"Yeah. Us."

"You're acting like she's dead. Why are we acting like she's dead?" Thor laughed in disbelief, "We have the stones, right? As long as we have the stones, Cap, we can bring her back, isn't that right? So stop this shit. We're the Avengers, get it together."

"We can't get her back. It can't be undone. It can't."

"I'm sorry. No offense, but you're a very earthly being. Okay? We're talking about space magic. And 'can't' seems very definitive don't you think? Right, (Y/n)? You know magic and you're from space."

I shook my head silently and Clint continued, "Look, I know that I'm way outside my paygrade here. But she still isn't here, is she? It can't be undone. Or that's at least what the great floating guy had to say. Maybe you wanna go talk to him? Go grab your hammer, and you go fly and you talk to him... It was supposed to be me. She sacrificed her life for that goddamn stone. She bet her life on it."

In a fit of anger Bruce grabbed the nearest bench and hurled it across the lake. That anger quickly turned to sadness, "She's not coming back. We have to make it worth it. We have to."

"We will."

With that, all of us went back inside. What more could we do? We had a job to do, people to save/bring back. Mourning had to be held back in favor of more important things. When we stepped inside, Bruce and Tony went off with Rocket to finish the new gauntlet, leaving the rest of us waiting anxiously outside.

"We're good," Bruce summoned us inside. The gauntlet was resting on a holder in the middle of the room.

"All right. The glove's ready. Question is, who's gonna snap their freaking fingers?" Rocket crossed his arms.

"I'll do it," Thor offered without hesitation, rushing to the gauntlet.

"No, no, no, whoa. Stop. Stop. Wait a sec. Hey, hey-" everyone jumped to stop him from reaching the glove.

"Wait, wait, wait, Thor, just wait. We haven't decided who's gonna put that on yet," Steve stated the obvious.

"Oh, I'm sorry. What, were you just sitting around waiting for the right opportunity?"

"We should at least discuss it," Scott argued.

"Look, us sitting here staring at that thing is not gonna bring everybody back. I'm the strongest Avenger, okay? So this responsibility falls upon me. It's my duty. Just let me. Just let me do it. Just let me do something good. Something great."

Putting a hand on his shoulder, I gently pulled him back, "Thor, you saw what that glove did the Thanos in his prime, and you're in no condition. It'll kill you."

"What do you think is coursing through my veins right now?"

"Cheez Whiz?"

"Lots of alcohol?"

Rhodey and I shared tired looks as each of us suggested a very likely candidate for what was running through his veins.

"Lightning."

"Lightning won't help you, pal. It's gotta be me," Bruce finally spoke up, "Like (Y/n) said, you saw what those stones did to Thanos. It almost killed him. None of you could survive."

"How do we know you will?"

"We don't. But the radiation's mostly gamma. It's like... uh... I was made for this."

No one argued against Bruce's proposal. Even Thor stepped down at the offer, because all of us knew Bruce was our best shot.

"You remember, everyone Thanos snapped away five years ago and just bringing them back to now, today. Don't change anything from the last five years," Tony instructed plainly.

"Got it."

I shifted into my uniform, stepping behind Steve as he held up his shield. Everyone around us prepared their suits as well, unsure what kind of power we'd be dealing with.

"FRIDAY, do me a favor and activate Protocol 8," Tony requested politely.

The compound went on lockdown, thick sheets of metal covering the windows, walls, and glass roof.

"Everybody comes home," Bruce mumbled to himself before slipping on the gauntlet. The surge of power was obviously overwhelming, and Bruce grunted in pain,

"Take it off. Take it off!" Thor yelled in panic.

"Wait! Bruce, are you sure you can do this?" I asked before we continued.

"I'm okay. I'm okay."

Bruce screamed, fighting through the pain. He lifted his arm and snapped his fingers. A bright light coursed through the room, and he fainted. As soon as the gauntlet slid off his arm Clint kicked it away.

"Don't move him," Tony ordered.

"Did it work?"

"Worth a shot. It's over. It's okay."

The metal moved away from the outside. My Spacial com rung in my pocket, pulling it out curiously, I laughed upon seeing Varian's name.

_Fup xen nersh wanushi?_

Looking to the sky, my grin felt unending. We did it. I was ready to turn my attention back to my com so I could respond until something caught my eye in the sky. It almost looked like-

"Get down!"

_Boom!_

 


	34. Legacy

Every muscle, every tendon, every bone in my body was screaming in pain as I tried to move. But I had never been one to follow my bodies wishes, especially when it tried to limit me in times of crisis. I was alive, and as far as I could tell, the baby was okay. The giant gold glow of a shield around me, and the warmth of the Talisman against my finger, made me thank Atreya. I had never been more thankful for my magic relic.

"(Y/n)? Thank god you're okay. Is  _everyone_  okay in there?" Tony helped me to my feet, a hand on the small of my back.

"Yeah, we're all good. The Talisman helped me out. Where's Steve?" I answered my own questions when my eyes landed on his semi-conscious form. Rushing over, I knelt down next to him, "Hey, Steve honey, you gotta wake up."

Steve groaned and pushed himself up. Tony knelt between us, holding Steve's shield, "You lose this again, I'm keeping it."

"What happened?" Steve gladly took back his favorite weapon.

"We messed with time. It tends to mess back. You'll see," Tony motioned for us to follow him. After a quick check-in with each other's well beings, we followed.

Thanos, likely from around 2014, was alive and well, sitting on a rogue stone in the middle of the rubble filled field. Thor was observing him closely. We weren't trying to hide ourselves either, but no one was starting the fight.

"What's he been doing?" Tony asked Thor.

"Absolutely nothing."

"What happened to the gauntlet?" I asked nervously. We couldn't let him undo everything we worked so hard to do.

"Somewhere under all this. All I know is he doesn't have them."

"So we keep it that way."

"You know it's a trap, right?" Thor raised a brow.

"Yeah. And I don't much care."

"Good. Just as long we are all in agreement," Thor summoned both Stormbreaker and Mjolnir, "Let's kill him properly this time."

"You've said a lot of crap these past few days Thor, but for once I couldn't agree more," eagerly, I summoned my twin discs and jumped to the ground with the others.

Thanos waited patiently for us to approach, and when he deemed us close enough he spoke.

"You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me. I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive. But you've shown me that's impossible. And as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist."

"Yep. We're all kinds of stubborn."

"I'm thankful. Because now, I know what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom," Thanos slipped on his helmet, "And then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one. Teeming with life, but knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. A grateful universe."

"Born out of blood," Steve growled.

"They'll never know it. Because you won't be alive to tell them."

In unison, we charged. Each of us took a side; left and right, front and back. Holding the back, it was easy to make large cuts in his armor in hopes to reach his actual skin.

"Thor hit me!" Thor charged Tony's blasters and Tony let loose.

Thanos swung his double-edged sword as a shield, diverting the blast until Thanos was right in front of Tony, able to pick him up and use him as a shield against Thor. When Tony's use was served, Thanos threw him away at the ground. Steve attempted to charge and was hit to the ground as well. Thor slid under an attack. Meeting Thanos' double sword with Stormbreaker, both of them lost their weapons. Thanos threw Thor to the ground, punched him, and took his own weapon from the air.

"Hey!" I practically jumped onto his back, flipping in the air and landing on my feet when he threw my off.

Stretching my hands apart I created a whip. Swinging it to him, I wrapped it around his ankle and knocked him off his feet. When I attempted to throw him into the air, Thanos grabbed the whip and pulled me towards him. Acting purely on survival instinct, I created a shield just as he slammed Stormbreaker down on me. I spread the shield out to strengthen it, but I saw, and heard the cracks in the protection.

Thanos smirked, pushing even harder, "Once I finish this planet, I'll go for yours, and sit on the thro-"

Mjolnir slamming into his head cut Thanos off. But Thor wasn't wielding it. Steve was. Steve was!

"I'm proud of you!" I yelled despite the situation. He dropped his past hesitations and picked up the hammer, all to protect me. Romantic.

"I knew it!" Thor shouted yelled victoriously, getting kicked to the ground after.

Steve charged Thanos, wielding both his shield and Mjolnir. Pushing myself off the ground, I gladly joined in, working in tandem in Steve- striking when he recovered, recovering when he struck. Thanos swung his sword and knocked the shield out of Steve's hands.

Having been waiting years to do it, I picked up Steve's shield and chucked it at Thanos. It reached its mark and landed in Steve's hands again after. While we momentarily had the upper hand, it didn't last long. Thanos knocked Mjolnir out of Steve's hand, destroyed half of Steve's shield, and kicked him across the battlefield. Turning to me, he swung before I had the chance to throw up a shield. All I could do was throw my body backward. Because I was low, Thanos had an easier time kicking me, and again, I barely had time to turn so he'd kick my back instead of my stomach.

"In all my years of conquest, violence, slaughter... It was never personal. But I'll tell you now; what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet... I'm gonna enjoy it. Very, very much."

Thanos' entire army was summoned to the ground. Including the long-dead Children of Thanos. Seeing them put a scowl on my face. Steve staggered over to me and helped me up. We leaned on each other for support. It was us against an army. With fierce determination, Steve tightened the strap on his shield.

"We're fighting for her," he mumbled, looking to me with the faintest of smiles, "If we could even give her a chance of living in a peaceful world-"

"She'd grow up knowing what her parents did," I finished, tears pooling in my eyes. Elora was so young, and she had an unborn sibling. But to take the chance of life away from her, when we had the opportunity to fight would be unforgivable, "I love you."

"I love you too."

In unison we turned to the army, ready to fight to the very end. But before either side could charge, a crackling came over the com.

 _"Cap, (Y/n), it's Sam. Can you hear me?"_ a yellow portal opened up behind us,  _"On your left."_

Another portal opened up, revealing Okoye, Shuri, and T'Challa. Turning around fully, dozens of portals opened up. The Guardians of the Galaxy, Wakandans, sorcerers, fallen Avengers, Asgardians, Ravagers, Pepper, and was that—

"General Spol?" I yelled in disbelief. Said general gave me a small wave, before turning back to her troops, "Oh my god, my 'we don't believe in unnecessary violence' planet sent their army."

"What does that mean?" Steve questioned.

"One, this fight is  _big_. Two, Thanos is screwed."

Scott emerged from the rubble of the facility with Bruce, Rhodey, and Rocket in his hands. Tony and Thor had previously recovered from their injuries and joined our ranks on the front lines.

"Avengers!" Steve summoned Mjolnir, sending me a confident smirk, and I understood.

Together, we finished, "Assemble."

Both sides let out roar-like battle cries, sprinting into the action. Sticking close to Steve for reasons that were more than obvious, each of us faced multiple Outriders at a time, protecting each other's backs while the other was distracted.

Striking an Outrider in its misplaced heart with a disc, I was thoroughly amused when Thor and Steve switched weapons on accident when he passed by.

"No, give me that," Thor took Stormbreaker back with a childish pout, "You have the little one."

"Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?" Clint stepped up beside us, holding up the gauntlet.

"Get those stones as far away as possible!" Steve ordered distractedly.

 _"No!"_ Bruce yelled into the com,  _"We need to get them back where the came from."_

Tony rebutted,  _"No way to get them back. Thanos destroyed the quantum tunnel."_

 _"Hold on! That wasn't our only time machine,"_  a classic car horn went off. Belonging to Scott's  van. It was plausible,  _"Anyone see an ugly brown van up there?"_

 _"Yes!"_ Valkyrie replied quickly, _"But you're not gonna like where it's parked."_

"Don't tell me," I groaned, faintly spotting the ugly car in the middle of a dense clump of Outriders, "This sucks."

"Scott, how long you need to get that thing working?"

_"Maybe ten minutes."_

I motioned for Clint to start running, "Work as fast as possible. The stones will be there when you're done."

When Clint was gone, we were thrown back into battle, left with nothing but hope that the new gauntlet would stay out of Thanos' hands, per risk of another snap. My attention was in every direction. Enemy here, enemy there. I saw Peter in the distance swinging with- he had the gauntlet?

Without warning, missiles rained down on the battlefield. Most of the sorcerers raised their hands and created shields to protect their allies. Thanos must have been desperate to destroy his own troops, and Wanda freaking Maximoff was the source of that.

 _"Help! Somebody help!"_ Peter cried, overwhelmed with enemies,  _"Backup! Comrades!"_

"Hey, Queens. Heads up." Steve chucked Mjolnir in his direction. Peter webbed it and flew through the air until Valkyrie caught him and carried him on.

"Princess (Y/n)!" General Spol ran to my side, taking down enemy after enemy on her way, "I was ordered to protect you throughout this battle. It is my duty to protect the royal family."

"Thanks Spol, do me a favor and point out where Spider-Man is? That kid with the eight metal legs?"

"Over there, Your Majesty, why-"

"Steve, I'm gonna go be backup!" I momentarily lowered my shield and began running, "Thanks General Spol! Don't worry, I can handle myself!"

Halfway to Peter, the missiles stopped firing on the ground and redirected to the sky. I paused and grinned. I knew exactly why they changed directions. Cause there was someone more dangerous than any of us up there. Carol Danvers.

A Chitauri soldier approached behind me. Distractedly, I created a disk and stabbed him without turning. They fell to the ground, and I continued on with my mission to get to Peter. If I was lucky, I'd meet Carol there, and we'd team up to protect and relocate the gauntlet.

Dropping to my knees next to Peter, I greeted him with an impromptu hug and ruffled his hair since his mask moved back from his face.

"I missed you  _ursbi_ ," I whispered, flinching when a  _thud_ came from behind us, but I relaxed upon it was only Carol.

"Hi. I'm Peter Parker," Peter greeted meekly, clutching the gauntlet close to his chest.

"Hey, Peter Parker. Got something for me?"

Peter held out the gauntlet and Carol gladly took it. Exchanging nods, we turned to face the horde of soldiers in front of us.

"I don't know how you're gonna get through all that."

"Don't worry," Wanda landed behind us.

"She's got help," Okoye approached from the front, along with Pepper and Mantis.

Flanking Carol, the women of the Avengers made sure she was able to make it through. I held back the urge to greet Wanda with a hug. I had a moment of peace to do so with Peter, but I was literally fighting two Outriders when the thought popped into my mind.

I was so caught up in the fighting that I didn't realize Carol lost the gauntlet until Thanos said a statement that sent shivers up my spine, and made me think we lost all over again.

"I am... inevitable."

There was a telltale metal snap, but nothing happened. Deciding the risk was worth it, I turned to see what exactly was going on. Tony's suit created a gauntlet for the Infinity Stones. He must have stolen them from Thanos in the heat of the moment!

"And I... am... Iron Man."

Tony snapped.

All around us the enemy disappeared into dust. I derived a lot of pleasure while watching Thanos sit down in defeat and turn to dust, never to be seen again in our timeline, or the timeline he traveled from. But looking at Thanos made me think of how damaged he was after his snap, and how Tony-

"Mr. Stark? Hey... Mr. Stark? Can you hear me? It's Peter. We won. We won, Mr. Stark. We won, and you did it, sir. You did it. I'm sorry Tony."

Rushing to Peter and Tony's sides, I led Peter away without hesitation when I saw Pepper's suit landing. Pepper, who dealt with Tony for over ten years, Pepper who loved Tony more than anything, Pepper who feared that what happened would because of Iron Man, Pepper who accepted him anyway. Pepper, the mother of their child.

"It's okay Peter. Shh, it'll be okay," I muttered soothingly, rocking back and forth on my heels to soothe the heartbroken teen. He just returned to his father figure, and Tony was ripped away from him. A dark similarity to how Peter died in the first snap.

"Tony," Steve whispered from behind me.

Tony's arc reactor flickered off, never to light up again. Using one arm to continue hugging Peter, I side-hugged Steve as well.

The price was paid.

~*~

The death of Tony Stark was the end of an era. The entire world knew and understood that. While Steve was technically the first Avenger chronologically, it was Tony, who said "I am Iron Man" start to finish, who truly paved the way for the greatest team of heroes the universe had ever known.

"Where's Uncle Tony  _ejo_?" Elora asked me quietly as Pepper stepped out of the Stark household and carried her wreath down to the lake. It held his first arc reactor, but it was more than that to her. 'Proof Tony Stark Has A Heart'. But it wasn't truly the arc reactor that represented his heart, it was everyone watching as it dipped into the lake.

"Gone. He saved us all," I explained simply, not wanting to put something on her shoulders she couldn't process, "Why don't you go give Morgan a  _giant_  hug? Can you do that for me?"

Elora nodded dutifully and walked off to greet her friend with a big hug, unsure of how important that hug would be to Morgan. They were each other's best friends, and they'd be each other's support systems.

"What do you think about naming this one after one of them?" Steve whispered, placing a hand on my stomach. I nodded, smiling at the thought of a permanent memorial to our fallen friends.

"Both of them would be ecstatic to hear it."

With Tony's ashes formerly spread, the memorial service was over. The large group was staying longer, though, to both mourn and celebrate Tony's life. Steve was pulled away by Thor, and I wandered along the edge of the lake. Clint and Wanda were having a Mourning Loved Ones moment, and I didn't want to interrupt that. So I settled in a secluded corner where Steve and Elora would be able to find me, but where I could have some peace.

"You've aged twenty years in ten, (Y/n). Perhaps it's time you think about retiring from the hero business. I've got plans to talk to my brother about New Asgard as well."

I should have been surprised when he popped up next to me, but I wasn't. For once his black suit fit in with the occasion. Deep down, I knew— I'd always be connected to my loved ones through my heart and magic. So much mourning went into everyone, that it all blended together. It took him literally standing in front of me to understand that I wasn't mourning his death, but his absence.

"And where the hell have you been all this time?"

"Travelling, 'soul-searching'. I became a man called Noobmaster69 for a while. But I just couldn't stay away. Making a new life for myself, not my style. I'd rather return to my old one and continue the chaos."

"It's about time... how'd you do it?"

"I'm a master of illusions. Do you really have to ask?" The playful grin fell from his face, "I was planning on stepping out and surprising Thanos when he thought I was dead, but the Bifrost sent me off. Heimdall created two, and no one noticed. I woke up far across the galaxy. The guilt never left, for not being there for everything. But something inside me held me back. I think it was Mother saying it wasn't my time."

"Yeah, well I  _was_  there and the guilt hasn't left so I can't hate you for that. Elora would love to meet you. You should stick around."

Loki smiled, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder to give me a side-hug, "For you (Y/n)? I'd do anything."

We stayed in that secluded corner of the lake for a while in silence. Thinking, sharing silent conversations through facial expressions and gestures. Calling Loki my best friend wouldn't do it justice. Calling him a brother wouldn't either. There was something much deeper within us connecting us together. The romance didn't work, but  _we_  did as a whole.

"I'm sorry about Stark. We had our... disagreements, but he was a good man."

"He was."

Tony and I disagreed, we fought, and at times we considered killing each other, but I was more than happy to call him family. The family I chose for myself after becoming who I was meant to be. One of the Original Six.

Because of how close all of us were, and how much trouble we all managed to attract even when we were actively avoiding it, I kept tabs on the Avengers during my freetime. While Tony was always considered the irresponsible one, he spoke at an expo and said words that had never rung truer with me.

As a hero, your goal is to leave the best world behind. The Avengers, they were always focusing on the problem at hand. The idea of protecting the world ten, twenty, thirty years after New York never entered their minds. But subconciously, all of us were doing what we could to change the future. And for what? Legacy.

_"It's not about me. It's not about you, either. It's about legacy, the legacy left behind for future generations. It's not about us!"_

" _Ejo!_ " A body tackled my legs, nearly sending me to the ground, chuckling, I picked Elora up and balanced her on my hip. Her blue eyes widened at the sight of Loki, "Is that Uncle Loki from the pictures?"

"Son of a bitch," Steve whispered from behind me. There was no animosity in the words, no threat. We were beyond that. The end of an era meant fresh starts, that included giving Loki a chance, "Loki, not surprised."

"Rogers. Elora, lovely to meet you."

"Is it true you turned into a snake and stabbed Uncle Thor?"

It's not about us. Tony was right.

Elora laughed with Loki, and Steve blinked back tears to join in on the conversation.

It was about those who would carry on our legacies.

~*~

"Remember, you have to return the stones at the exact moment you got them. Or you're gonna open up a bunch of nasty alternative realities."

My mind wandered to my conversation with Past Loki, and I couldn't help but smile. We were dealing with the possibility of alternate timelines in  _our_ reality, but no one seemed to grasp the concept of other realities  _already_ existing. I kept that knowledge to myself, not wanting to raise a panic at the idea of all of us being genderbent somewhere.

"Don't worry, Bruce. Clip all the branches."

"You know, I tried. When I had the gauntlet, the stones, I really tried to bring her back," Bruce sighed sadly, "I miss them, man."

"Me too."

"You know, if you want, I can come with you," Sam offered in a successful attempt to break the sad silence that followed.

"You're a good man, Sam. This one's on me, though."

Steve stepped over to Bucky, "Don't do anything stupid 'till I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you."

Stepping between them I wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders, "Can you two stop being in love for three seconds and realize Steve will only be gone for ten seconds at most?"

The pair chuckled, and we separated. Steve stepped onto the platform.

"How long is this gonna take?" Sam wondered, having missed our original time escapades.

"For him? As long as he needs. For us? Five seconds."

Steve picked up Mjolnir, and his slung his shield on his back, picking up the briefcase with the stones right after.

"Ready, Cap?  Alright. We'll meet you back here, okay?"

"You bet."

"Going quantum. Three, two, one..." Steve disappeared, "And returning in, five, four, three, two, one..."

Steve didn't reappear. My heart clenched painfully in momentary panic. We didn't discuss anything that would make him late. But with the ability to time travel he could go anywhere, to anyone... I shook my head to rid it of my thoughts. I trusted Steve. He wouldn't do that.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know. He blew right by his time stamp. He should be here."

"Maybe you should look back at the pad." All of us jumped, but greeted Steve with relieved smiles as he stepped down, "Sorry about that. I owed someone a dance and lost track of time."

Steve kissed my temple and gently knocked his forehead against mine. Nodding, I understood. I technically gave him a dance with Peggy, but not only was it a giant bump in our relationship, it wasn't what he truly needed. But he went back, and he gave Peggy her dance so he could come back to me.

"Sam, I uh, I want you to have this." Steve took his shield from his back.

Sam laughed in disbelief, "Very funny Cap. Now come on, I'm sure your daughter's getting antsy inside the compound."

"He's serious Sam," I cut in, motioning for him to take the shield.

That was one thing we  _did_  talk about. Steve had been Captain America longer than any of us had been alive. It was time for him to hang up the mantle. And although it hurt both of us to come to terms with giving up such a big part of our lives- as there was no way Steve could retire without me hanging up the uniform as well- there was a strange sense of relief there.

Slowly, Sam took the shield from Steve's arms, and slid it onto his arm.

"Perfect fit. I knew it would be," Steve smiled, patting Sam twice on the shoulder, "Trust me, man, things couldn't go a better way. And Buck?"

Bucky pulled Steve into a tight hug before he could finish. Smiling, Steve hugged his best friend with the same amount of fervor.

"I figured since you always mocked me about the uniform you wouldn't want to wear it. But you aren't me. You're someone completely different from Captain America too, and I need you to embrace that... I'm gonna miss you."

"Me too."

"Why are you guys acting like you're moving to another planet?" Bruce asked, chuckling at his own joke. It wasn't until he caught onto our silence that he stopped, "Oh."

 _"Ejo, gysk_!" Elora leaped into Steve's arms, having snuck out of the compound. Chuckling, Steve and I greeted her with smiles.

"It's what's best for her, and what's best for us," I explained shortly, ruffling Elora's hair causing her to giggle, "We're gonna miss Earth, but Orveon has chances we can't miss out on."

"So this is really goodbye then?"

"To us as heroes, maybe. But not Steve and (Y/n) Rogers," stuffing my hands into my jeans pockets I shrugged, "We deserve our happy ending, don't you think?"

No one could say no.

 


	35. Epilogue

_I don't own anything except any original/own characters and any original plot._

✨

**Epilogue**

✨

The years after the Reverse Snap were peaceful. More peaceful than I thought possible. Especially since the hunger for battle had been in my blood since I was a young child. But the years changed me just as they changed Steve. We both matured, separately and together as a couple. That battle-craving blood morphed into something completely new, and who were we to fight it?

We moved to Orveon after saying our final goodbyes to the Avengers and the general public in a small press conference. With promises of returning to stay updated with our friends, and threatening Loki to treat New Asgard right as their co-king, we were gone. Upon arrival, we stayed with my family until the sale for our house went through, and moved there with even more promises to visit my brother and parents, along with the news that they were planning on talking to Madame Teyla about child options.

The first year was the hardest, full of grasping the ropes of normal family life, and trying to recover from our separate and shared traumas. But slowly, we got the hang of it. Just in time to welcome our son into a new era of peace.

" _Ejo_ , I'm home!"

"Where's your brother?" Looking up from my book, I met Elora's innocent gaze as she toed off her shoes at the front door.

"Outside with dad," she shrugged, dropping most her schoolbooks on the table, only keeping the ones she needed, "Something about a project for his Space Studies class. He wants to pick Earth to research."

"That's cheating. He can speak fluent English and visits once a month. He should research a planet he doesn't know as well."

"That's what I said when he told me about it! Now he's trying to get  _gysk_  on his side."

Chuckling, I pushed myself off the couch, leaving my book behind, "Your father favors Earth more than any other planet, but he's not one for cheating. Back on Earth he made a bunch of videos for the school systems about how cheating and partying and bla bla bla is bad. It was embarrassing but it paid the bills."

Elora nodded enthusiastically in agreement. Passing by her I stopped in the kitchen, humming to myself as I thought over what I could make for dinner.

"Why isn't  _gysk_  cooking tonight?" Elora sat on a barstool at the counter.

"We switched nights to shake things up a bit. Now go work on the homework I know you have so we can hang out later. It's family night, no excuses."

Groaning, Elora slumped off her chair and stalked off to her room upstairs. Rolling my eyes at the eleven-year-olds attitude, I pulled out all the ingredients I would need for the Orveonian dinner I thought of.

An hour north of the Orveonian capitol, in a growing rural town dubbed Klep, was the five-bedroom house I loved so much five years before. When Steve and I bought it, we were pleasantly surprised to find a barn and lake in the spacious backyard. It was under construction at the time the pictures were taken meaning we couldn't see it. That allowed us to keep Orflaks there. I brought Eldia over from the palace, and Steve and the kids got new ones of their own.

Post Reverse-Snap, the decision of where to live was easy enough to make. Earth had many rising young defenders, new heroes, and heroes yet to appear. It didn't need us, hence Steve giving his shield to Sam. Orveon was peaceful, fulfilling. Steve and I wouldn't be tempted to leave the kids at home to go on missions we might not return from.

Even if we did train with the guards whenever we visited the castle.

Our kids would feel more welcome as well. Even if their purple skin and scales would mark them as royal for the rest of their lives, they could only shift into a human form. Like everyone else who could only shift into one other type of being.

Monthly Earth visits and weekly calls kept us all connected to the Avengers and Starks. And weekly visits to the castle created a close relationship between the kids and their grandparents, uncles, and their cousins.

13 years after the formation of the Avengers, 16 since I went to Earth, and 19 since I arrived at Asgard to teach Loki magic.

Time flew by in a fleurie of wars, happiness, change, and pain. That strange concoction created my happy future. One I couldn't imagine for myself until I met Steve and started dating him.

"I have to pick a different planet? But Earth is so easy! Come on  _gysk_!"

Meeting Steve's 'paternally tired' eyes, I didn't bother hiding my amusement as the pair entered the house from the back porch. Lifting his son up by his hips, Steve threw the boy over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Alright, alright. Enough arguing. No doing Earth. End of story. Got it? It wouldn't be fair to the other kids."

"Yeah..."

Spinning and dizzying his son, Steve laughed, "What did you say?"

"Okay, okay! Put me down!"

"Anthony Valerian Rogers!" I called, stepping around the counter, "Come say hello to your  _ejo_."

Screech laughing, Anthony nearly fell off Steve's shoulders in his hurry to reach me and give me a hug. Dropping to his feet, Anthony stumbled over, wrapping his little arms around my waist. Smiling contently, I ran my fingers through his light hair.

"An hour until dinner. Go do your homework. It's family night. Oh, and Ton, tomorrow when you're picking planets try Xandar. It had a really interesting history, and an end we can talk to Uncle Thor about."

Ton. Not Tony. Although we moved away from Earth, we wanted to honor Tony when we found out it was a boy. So there was no question what we would name him upon the discovery.

Even then, Tony was  _Tony—_ irreplaceable in many, many ways, good and bad. Ton - pronounced tone- not Tony was born from that.

"You're rubbing all of your Earth love off on him," I rapidly cut up vegetables, pointing at the unprepared main dish in front of me, "Spiced and in the oven."

" _I'm_ not doing anything," Steve stated innocently, pulling out the best spices for our main course. He knew cooking well, "It's probably Sam and Bucky whenever we visit Earth. Since he's at that impressionable age."

Shaking my head, I sighed, "They can work well together when they want to, but of course they hate each other any other time. It's a miracle their missions go as well as they do."

In tandem we finished our dinner preparations, sliding it into the oven. With 45 minutes to spare, Steve and I moved from the house to outside. On the side of the barn was a small lake, a pond. The Orflaks liked to graze there. On the barn free side, close to the forest, we put in a cheesy swing seat overlooking the lake and the setting of the sun.

"Moments like this never seem real," Steve informed after we sat down.

He said that every time we sat outside together. And I always asked- "Why?"

He answered, "Before the ice, I wanted to join the army. Towards the end I thought about something like this. Then the ice, and that dream died. Until I met you, and it came back to life."

"Was it love at first sight?"

I adored his answer.

"No. It was love as soon as we were watching Star Wars for the first time and you were critiquing their space travel methods."

Turning, one leg dangling and the other on the bench, I pondered, "Is it true love?"

Steve smiled and pressed a finger to his lips as if instructing me to keep the answer a secret. Even though he never openly gave me one. He didn't need to.

I knew it was.

True love was in the eye of the beholder, much like beauty- so many searching for a 'right answer' when there wasn't one.

Honestly, there were times when I stopped loving Steve. Like when we argued over dishes, or the rare occasions we built a wall of pillows on the bed to be away from each other. But I never stopped  _loving_  him. The dishes would always end up washed, and we would move the pillows, because we understood each other, and talked through our unlovable moments.

"Have you thought about names some more? Since Madame Teyla said that this one is a girl?" Steve trailed a hand over my ever growing stomach, receiving a hard kick in return.

Baby number three, the last, most likely. A girl by Madame Teyla's early predictions, but she was never wrong and took pride in that. 6 out of 12 months along. Elora and Anthony had been more than willing to give lists of name suggestions, but my mind was made up as soon as the gender was confirmed- the same way it was with Anthony.

"Natalia."

Nat so desperately wanted a baby named Natasha, but I felt she got that with Nathaniel- even if it wasn't 100% accurate to her name. Nathaniel was named after the two people who saved his father's life. Natalia on the other hand-

"Nat's birth name. What makes you so set on that one?"

My answer was already primed after several sleepless nights thinking it over, "Because she could never claim it for herself. Natalia Romanova died with Natasha Romanoff was born. Then Natasha Romanoff... she could never say Natalia was who she aspired to be because it's what the Red Room made her. This baby is a chance she never had."

Steve sniffles were right in my ear. I turned and cooed, rubbing his cheek against my own to soothe his sadness.

"I miss her," he whispered, clutching me as if I would die as well, "I miss both of them."

"I do too," I ignored the tear rolling down my cheek. No matter how much time passed, the pain never lessened, it was just easier to handle, 'But that's why we need to tell the kids our stories. So they can live on through us, then them, and their kids, and their kids. Legends never die."

" _Ejo! Gysk!_ " Ton and Elora ran out of the house to join us and disturb our peace.

"What happened to finishing your homework?" I questioned with a raised brow.

"We finished fast so we could come out here," Elora plopped down in the grass in front of us while Tony climbed onto Steve's lap, "Thirty minutes left until dinner is ready. I checked the timer before we came out."

"What do you want to do while we wait?" Steve bounced Ton on his leg, smiling when he laughed happily.

"Tell us a story," Anthony all but begged, eyes wide with childish excitement.

"About what?"

"The Avengers," Elora cut in, more excited than her kid brother, "I remember bits and pieces of things that happened when I was like, five."

"Oh, no, no. You came  _way_  later in the story. Right at the end, actually," I laughed, "Telling you about all our adventures would take a while."

"Start now, finish later," Anthony ordered, crossing his arms and huffing.

I shrugged, "Only if you promise to pass these stories onto your kids. They're worthy of a movie, maybe several."

Both children nodded enthusiastically at our only terms. Steve cleared his throat and began before I could, "There was an idea, to bring together a group of remarkable people..."

As the kids scooched in close, I leaned on Steve's shoulder and looked at the falling sun, occasionally cutting in when his side of the story waned a bit from what actually happened. Time altered all our memories.

There, on my alien planet, I sat with my family- my legacy. And I knew, deep down, that no matter how much time passed, or how many heroes rose and fell to protect those who couldn't protect themselves; the Avengers would never be forgotten.

 


	36. Fun Facts/Final Goodbye

Welcome to the last chapter for this book! Here I'll be giving you a bunch of little fun facts I've accumulated while writing and give my final goodbye. You know the drill.

** Fun Facts **

\- Originally, the Reader was going to have a hero name and would be called Shift by the public

\- I channeled my hate of corruption and misunderstanding in the world's governments into this story. The Reader being an alien was a long standing metaphor for being LGBTQ+

\- (This one is kind of obvious) The Reader's power were based off of Mystique from the X-Men

\- I had Elora planned before I had the Civil War Storyline planned. I knew what would happen during Infinity War and sort of disregarded Civil war

\- In the chapter "Loki" I make a big reference to my Loki x Reader, Gods and Monsters

\- The Reader and Loki dated for around a Midgardian year, but it was (Y/n) who broke it off after realizing that she wasn't ready for a romance when she was still wanting to explore and fight

\- Some of the planets (Y/n) wanted to visit included Xandar, Sakaar, and the Sovereign. The Realms she wanted to visit included Alfheim and Vanaheim

\- Steve and Reader's second child was originally going to be a girl, but upon seeing Endgame I changed it

\- I wanted Nat to be the first person to figure out the pregnancy so she could die happy knowing that her family was still growing and she'd have another niece/nephew

\- Orveon was sort of my ideal world. Not in the fact that they avoid conflict cause I don't think that's super healthy, but in their acceptance of other sexualities and genders. Because shifting was a universal thing, many people didn't identify with a binary gender

\- My original idea for after Infinity War was that Steve, the Reader, and Elora moved to Orveon and the Reader became the official queen since Varian died, and it stayed that way after

\- (This one made me sad) The Reader hadn't technically seen Loki since he since he left with Thor in 2012. (Not counting her and Steve's wedding because she wasn't aware it was him until after) In 2018, she heard about his death. For 6 years she hadn't seen him and was worried about his well being, only to find out he died. And her last words to him were "Stay out of trouble alright? I'm not always going to be able to save you two." She felt a lot of guilt because of that.

\- BUT that guilt went away when she 1) Talked to Past Loki in his cell and worked things out and 2) Met Loki in the future after finding out he was alive and after she slapped him  **hard**  (which I left out because of how long the chapter was already)

** Final Goodbye **

Wow, this book is finally over. I feel like it's been with me forever, and it's been around for almost half a year with is crazy to me because time flew. It's been amazing reading your comments and seeing how much you guys have enjoyed this story.

As always I want to say a giant thank you for reading, voting, and simply enjoying this story and everything else I write. It means a lot that you enjoy it and it's that enjoyment that encourages me to keep on writing stories like this.

If you like my writing style and want to see more of it, or more of me in general, then follow me below!

Instagram: lydias.grace

Tellonym: lydiaofthefallen

Tumblr: fallenlydia

Pinterest: lydiaofthefallen

Wattpad: lydiaofthefallen

TikTok (I'm not even embarrassed, I love TikTok): lydias.grace

I love you all so much, thank you for reading, and I'll see you next time. Byyeee!

~Lydia

 


End file.
